# Anubias in NPT?



## tokyo (Apr 23, 2010)

How do anubias(or other rhizomes) do in a tank that is only fertilized through the substrate(soil only or aquasoil only for example) and fish waste/respiration? Maybe it would be better put "How well do they do in a tank that doesn't use water column fertilizing?"

I would think that they would easily develop deficiencies.

Thanks


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## Michael (Jul 20, 2010)

In my experience, they do better if their roots can reach the substrate.


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## jerilovesfrogs (Nov 29, 2010)

i have some anubias in my 6g Edge, that has sand, and NO ferts whatsoever....and almost no light, other than natural light. they have been in there for over 8 months, and have been doing very well. so i'd say they are pretty forgiving ime


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## pearldanny (Mar 11, 2011)

They do pretty well in most conditions their a very forgiving plant and the water column is always getting fertilized by the tank in inhabitants their also a slow growing plant so their nutritional demands arn't as high


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## whitehair (Sep 13, 2009)

Here is mine free floating.


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## Siberian (Jan 16, 2011)

I have one in mine, it was doing really bad so I got it for free from LFS with some other plants. After 9 months it's doing very well, it's not huge but it went from 3 really bad leaves to about 8-10 very nice clean green leaves.

Mine has roots into the substrate now.


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## Zapins (Jul 28, 2004)

Hmm my anubias doesn't do well in soil tanks. Tried them in two different tanks with the roots in the soil substrate and they both develope deficiencies. I am not sure if that is a general problem or a temporary problem but for me it doesn't work well.


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## activesize (Jun 26, 2011)

If you plan on keeping shrimp also then the Anubias will be a problem. If, for example, an Anubius leaf gets cut then that leaf will liberate toxins harmful or deadly to dwarf shrmp. Of course, it depends on the size of your tank and how much gets released, etc. Regardless, you will probably kill a few shrimp with Anubius and the other ones will probably hide a lot more. 

However, for those lurking who insist on having both Anubius and shrimp in the same water, as I do, then it's probably best to keep the Anubius limited to the small leaf varieties ie. A. nana in a large tank. Also, it's important that each leaf be perfect without holes or tears in them. I have experimented with one A. nana on driftwood with about 14 perfect leaves in a 200 gallon NPT tank system with some sequestered ghost shrimp, malaysian shrimp, and lots of big active fish. Sometimes, there is a bad A. nana leaf which I forget to cut out for weeks at a time. There are shrimp that are still alive and quite healthy after quite a few months. So, it can be done, just be careful.


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## TooManyTanks (Dec 4, 2011)

Hmmmm i keep a nice amount of anubias in with my rcs and marbled crayfish been like that for a few months now. So far everythigs ok


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## TooManyTanks (Dec 4, 2011)

Oh and my tank is a 55. 


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## activesize (Jun 26, 2011)

Oh, that's interesting. My own observations are in agreement with yours. 

I got my initial info about Anubias and dwarf shrimp from shrimp guru Mustafa over at Petshrimp.com. However, for various reasons he doesn't think that shrimp and plants mix well together. In nature, dwarf shrimp are not found in areas with high plant density. 

Do you have an NPT? It may be that other plant species are processing toxins supposedly emitted by the Anubius which are harmful to dwarf shrimp. Perhaps Mustafa's observations really only apply to small, ie. 10-20 gal, non-planted java moss tanks after someone adds Anubius to them, and not to an NPT.


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## TooManyTanks (Dec 4, 2011)

Its possible i guess. I mean i have red cherry shrimp but i also have a huge variety if plants in my tank. Some plants i forgot te name and cannot indetify right away without reference lol. But i knos ive got ludwigia java fern anubias jungle val corkscrew val dwarf sagittaria and a ton of ither plants, some swords etc. maybe he is only referring to smaller tanks maybe hea not using filtration as ive seen ppl not have a filter but simple just the plants and an air stone. There can be a huge variety of variables that effect the factors. I mean it could even be simple a certain type of shrimp with a certain type of anubias. We have to remember theres a huge variety of species. Im no expext at all in plants a s ive only had my tank for a few months but im just saying lol


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## Michael (Jul 20, 2010)

I have lots of shrimp and lots of anubias and have never had a problem with either.


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## TooManyTanks (Dec 4, 2011)

You think it could be due to some kind of fertilizer or something extra that was added i mean it just doesnt make any sense. I mean im no professional but i dont see that happening. Maybe water quality wasnt up to par for the tank?


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## krazeeboy (Jul 27, 2009)

i got plenty of anubias and grade ss+ crs in my 10 gallon and they are thriving breeding for over a year no problems, started with 25 now have over 100 i think the anubias toxin thing is a myth.


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