Anubias On Rock 'Recipe' Step-By-Step Guide
Quick answer: You don't need soil, glue, or a special "aquarium cement" to mount Anubias on rock — tie the rhizome to the stone with cotton thread or fine fishing line, keep the rhizome itself uncovered and above the surface, and the plant's own roots will grip the rock permanently within a few weeks.
What You'll Need
- Anubias — a cup of tissue culture, or a few individual plants
- 1 small, porous rock (lava rock works well; any aquarium-safe stone with texture will do)
- Cotton thread, moss thread, or fine fishing line
- Scissors
- A clear display container or your display tank
- A light scatter of white or neutral sand, if you want a finished base
Step-by-Step: Mounting Anubias on Rock
- Take the Anubias out of its tissue culture cup and rinse the gel off thoroughly under running tap water.
- Trim off any old or yellowing leaves and cut back excess long roots so the plant sits flat against the rock.
- Rest the rhizome on top of the rock, arranging the leaves the direction you want them to grow.
- Tie it down with cotton or moss thread, finishing with a secure knot — snug enough to hold the plant in place, not so tight it crushes the rhizome.
- Place the finished piece in your container or tank, with a light scatter of sand around the base if you want a clean finished look.
- Give it a few weeks. The thread is only a temporary anchor — Anubias roots grow directly into the rock's pores and take over as the permanent hold, at which point you can trim the thread away if you like.
Care Tips After Mounting
Anubias is one of the most forgiving plants in the hobby, which is exactly why it works so well mounted bare on rock: it doesn't need root access to substrate or fertilizer to survive. Keep the rhizome itself out of the gravel or sand — burying it is the single most common way to kill an otherwise healthy Anubias. Low to moderate light and stable water parameters are all it asks for; it tolerates a wide pH and hardness range and grows slowly enough that algae rarely gets ahead of it. Occasional liquid or root-tab fertilizing speeds growth but isn't required.
Why This Works: Anubias Is an Epiphyte
In the wild, Anubias grows attached to rocks and driftwood along shaded riverbanks in West Africa rather than rooted in soil — the same epiphytic habit as Java fern and most mosses. That's why tying it to a hardscape piece isn't a workaround; it's closer to how the plant actually grows. The rhizome absorbs nutrients through fine root hairs that spread across whatever surface it's attached to, which is also why a buried rhizome suffocates and rots while an exposed one thrives.
Shop the Materials
We used a small piece of porous lava-style rock for this build. For a similar look in your own tank, Hakkai's own hardscape stone is a good starting point:
- Wolf Stone — dense, textured gray stone with enough surface grain for thread and roots to grip
Browse the full range in our Aquarium Hardscape Essentials collection, and see more mountable plants in our Aquatic Plants collection.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need glue or cement to attach Anubias to rock?
No. Thread, fishing line, or rubber bands hold the plant in place long enough for its roots to take over — aquarium-safe super glue gel is an option some aquascapers use for speed, but it isn't necessary for a successful mount.
How long does it take for Anubias to attach itself to rock?
Usually 4 to 8 weeks under normal tank conditions. You'll know it's secured once new roots are visibly gripping the stone and the plant stays put without the thread.
Can I bury the Anubias rhizome in substrate instead of mounting it on rock?
No — burying the rhizome is the most common way Anubias is killed in the hobby. The rhizome needs to stay exposed to the water; buried, it can't get enough oxygen and will rot.
What's the best rock for mounting Anubias?
Anything aquarium-safe with some surface texture works, from lava rock to Seiryu or dragon stone. Rough, porous surfaces give the roots more to grip onto than smooth river stone.
Does Anubias need strong lighting to grow on rock?
No — Anubias is a low-light plant and actually does better under moderate light, since high light without enough nutrients tends to encourage algae on its broad leaves faster than the plant itself can grow.
About the author: Roger Ma is the owner of Hakkai Aquascape Design Gallery and Pet Zone Tropical Fish in San Diego, with over a decade of experience building and maintaining nature aquariums and aquascaping retail.
