How to plant A. nana?

To: Aquatic-Plants at actwin_com
Subject: How to plant A. nana?
From: krandall at world_std.com (Karen A Randall)
Date: Mon, 5 Feb 1996 21:55:02 -0500

Subject: How to plant A. nana?
 
> I got a lovely Anubias nana this weekend with a healthy set of r
> between 3 and 4 inches long. My questions: how should I plant it
> bright light harm it (temporarily, because other plants will gro
> in the future)? Thanks.
> 
> Right now, the roots are under (shallow) gravel very close to th
> bar. There is strong current coming toward it (the spray bar is 
> substrate level)--I've read Anubias come from fast-moving stream
> list, I've read about tying Anubias to rocks because their roots
> adhere to them. Would it prefer a rock to having its roots shove
> into the substrate?

The most important thing to remember when planting Anubias is to 
keep the rhizome above the surface of the substrate and just plant 
the roots themselves.  Bright light will not bother the plant 
directly, but if your tank has any tendency towrd algae problems, 
remember that Anubias sp. grow slowly, and the leaves last for a 
long time.  It is easy for Anubias to become badly infested with 
algae.

While Anubias do grow at the edge of fast moving streams at times, 
they usually grow emersed at the edge of these streams, not in the 
full current.  Still, unless the water flow near the plant is 
strong enough to uproot it, it is unlikely to do it any harm.  

The only thing harder to kill than Anubias nana is plastic.<g>


Karen Randall
Aquatic Gardeners Assoc.
Boston, MA