Anubias gigantea

The Giant Anubias is a large and striking plant from West Africa, perfect for bigger aquariums. It's known for its toughness, making it a great choice if you're worried about fish nibbling on your plants. While it's quite hardy, it's considered moderately difficult mainly because of its large size and specific planting needs.

One of the most important things to know is that you should never bury its thick, horizontal stem (called a rhizome) under gravel or sand. Doing so will cause the plant to rot and die. Instead, you should attach it to a piece of driftwood or a rock using super glue gel or fishing line. The roots will eventually anchor themselves to the hardscape.

This plant doesn't need much to thrive. It's happy in low-light tanks and doesn't require any extra CO2, making it ideal for simple, low-tech setups. In fact, too much light can cause ugly algae to grow on its leaves because the plant grows so slowly. You can expect a new leaf to appear only every month or two. Its impressive height makes it a perfect 'background' plant to fill in the back of your tank, and its broad, tough leaves provide excellent shelter for shy fish or fry. It's very adaptable and can handle a wide range of water conditions, as long as they are kept stable.