Ask any aquascaper to name one plant a beginner cannot kill and the answer is usually Anubias. It grows in low light, needs no CO2 injection, and most fish and shrimp leave it completely alone. What surprises many hobbyists is just how many anubias plant types there are: from the fingernail-sized Nana Petite to the broad-leaved Var King, with gold, marbled and near-white forms in between.

This guide compares all 16 Anubias varieties we grow and ship across India — what each one looks like, where it fits in your scape, and what it costs — so you can pick the right plant the first time. For planting and maintenance basics, keep our Anubias care guide handy.

All 16 Anubias plant types at a glance

Variety	Leaf size	Look	Best position	Price from (₹)
Anubias Nana	3–5 cm	Rounded dark-green leaves	Midground	90
Anubias Nana Petite	1–2 cm	Miniature deep-green leaves	Foreground / nano	90
Anubias Nana Gold	3–4 cm	Golden-lime foliage	Midground accent	90
Anubias Barteri var. Glabra	6–10 cm	Smooth lance-shaped leaves	Mid/background	90
Anubias ‘Dragon Claw’	5–8 cm	Twisted, claw-like leaves	Midground feature	90
Anubias Congensis	10–15 cm	Upright, narrow lance leaves	Background	200
Anubias ‘Coffeefolia’	6–9 cm	Ridged leaves, coffee-brown new growth	Midground focal	250
Anubias Butterfly	5–8 cm	Creamy-white splashed leaves	Midground (premium)	260
Anubias Chili	2–4 cm	Narrow leaves, bronze new growth	Foreground / nano	310
Anubias Nana White	3–4 cm	Creamy-white marbled Nana	Midground accent	310
Anubias Pinto	3–5 cm	Heavily white-marbled leaves	Midground accent	310
Anubias Snow White	2–4 cm	Leaves marbled in pure white	Collector / accent	420
Anubias Stardust	3–5 cm	Fine white ‘stardust’ speckling	Collector / accent	1,100
Anubias Panda	4–6 cm	Bold black-green and white patches	Collector / accent	1,250
Anubias Marble	6–10 cm	Cream-and-green marbled leaves	Collector / midground	1,350
Anubias Var King	10–20 cm	Broad, bold centrepiece leaves	Large-tank centrepiece	1,650

Prices are our current starter-size prices in India and may vary with size and availability. Every type below shares the same core needs: low to moderate light, a rhizome that must never be buried, and patience — Anubias is slow by design.

The classic green Anubias types

1. Anubias Nana — the benchmark

The default choice and still the best all-rounder. Anubias Nana carries rounded, dark-green leaves on a compact rhizome and is close to indestructible — it tolerates low light, hard water and curious fish without complaint. Tie it to driftwood or rock in the midground and forget about it. Torn between the small forms? Our Nana vs Petite vs Gold comparison settles it.

2. Anubias Barteri var. Glabra

A larger, elegant Anubias with smooth, lance-shaped leaves. Anubias Glabra fills the midground-to-background of a 2–4 ft tank beautifully and is one of the quicker growers in the genus — all at the same ₹90 entry price as Nana.

3. Anubias Congensis

Anubias Congensis holds narrow, lance-shaped leaves upright, making a robust, architectural background statement. It pairs naturally with Cryptocoryne and looks especially good behind rounded-leaf types like Nana.

4. Anubias ‘Coffeefolia’

Anubias Coffeefolia is a premium form with deeply ridged, textured leaves; new growth emerges coffee-brown before maturing to glossy green. The two-tone effect makes it a natural midground focal point.

5. Anubias ‘Dragon Claw’

Anubias Dragon Claw grows twisted, claw-like leaves with a dramatic, sculptural look — a conversation piece mounted on driftwood, and surprisingly affordable at ₹90.

6. Anubias Var King

The giant of the lineup. Anubias Var King produces broad leaves up to hand size and makes a bold centrepiece for large aquariums. A slow-grown collector plant, priced accordingly.

The small and coloured Anubias types

7. Anubias Nana Petite

The nano-tank staple. Anubias Nana Petite keeps tiny 1–2 cm leaves in dense clusters — perfect for foreground stones, shrimp tanks and detailed aquascapes. It is the slowest grower of all, so buy the size you want to see.

8. Anubias Nana Gold

Anubias Nana Gold swaps deep green for a golden-lime glow that lights up against dark wood and shaded corners. Same easy care as regular Nana; see our Nana Gold care guide for specifics.

9. Anubias Chili

A compact collector’s type, Anubias Chili carries narrow leaves with warm, bronze-tinted new growth — subtle colour for the foreground of a nano scape without the price tag of the white forms.

The variegated and white Anubias types

Variegated Anubias carry less chlorophyll, so they grow even more slowly and appreciate slightly brighter light and clean, stable water. None of them need CO2 — just patience and a little respect.

10. Anubias Nana White

Anubias Nana White is the entry point to white Anubias: a variegated Nana with creamy-white marbled leaves at a price that will not sting if you are trying your first premium plant.

11. Anubias Pinto

One of the most sought-after variegates, Anubias Pinto shows heavy white marbling on compact leaves and is generally the hardiest of the white types — the one we recommend first.

12. Anubias Snow White

Anubias Snow White takes variegation to the extreme, with leaves heavily marbled in pure white. A true collector’s plant that prefers gentle light and pristine water.

13. Anubias Stardust

Rare and instantly recognisable, Anubias Stardust is dusted with fine white speckles across each leaf — like a night sky in miniature.

14. Anubias Panda

Anubias Panda delivers the highest contrast of the group: bold black-green and white patches on every leaf. A statement plant for a shaded, hardscape-heavy layout.

15. Anubias Marble

Anubias Marble spreads cream-and-green marbling across larger, barteri-sized leaves — variegation with real presence in a bigger tank.

16. Anubias Butterfly

Anubias Butterfly finishes the list with leaves splashed creamy-white like butterfly wings — a premium, slow-growing cultivar that rewards a stable, mature tank.

How to choose the right Anubias type

• By tank size: nano tanks suit Nana Petite, Chili and Nana; standard 2–3 ft tanks suit Nana, Nana Gold, Coffeefolia and Dragon Claw; large tanks can carry Glabra, Congensis and Var King.
• By budget: the ₹90 workhorses (Nana, Petite, Gold, Glabra, Dragon Claw) cover most scapes; ₹200–450 buys character (Congensis, Coffeefolia, Butterfly, Chili, Nana White, Pinto, Snow White); ₹1,000+ is collector territory (Stardust, Panda, Marble, Var King).
• By light: green types are happiest in genuinely low light; white and variegated forms want moderate light to hold their colour — still no CO2 required.

Care is the same for every type

Whichever variety you choose, the rules do not change: never bury the rhizome, attach the plant to driftwood or rock, keep light low to moderate, and change some water weekly. Every plant on this page also sits near the top of our list of aquarium plants that don’t need CO2 — none of them require injection at any stage. If leaves yellow or melt, it is almost always light, a buried rhizome or a big parameter swing rather than the variety itself.

Anubias plant types: FAQ

Which Anubias type is best for beginners?

Anubias Nana. It is the cheapest, the most forgiving and the easiest to place. Nana Gold and Glabra are equally easy if you want colour or height.

How many types of Anubias are there?

Botanically there are only a handful of species, but dozens of named cultivars exist in the hobby. The 16 varieties above are the ones we actually grow, stock and ship across India.

Do white and variegated Anubias need CO2?

No. They grow more slowly and prefer slightly brighter light and clean water, but like every Anubias they thrive without CO2 injection.

Every plant above ships bare-root across India with our live-arrival guarantee. Ready to pick one? Browse the full range of Anubias plants in stock right now, or start with a ₹90 Nana and see why this genus has a cult following.