Java Fern vs Anubias
The two most bulletproof beginner plants, and both work the same way — rhizome plants that attach to hardscape, thrive in low light and need no CO2. The Java fern is feathery and taller; Anubias barteri is thick-leaved and tougher. Here's which to choose.
The quick verdict
You can't go wrong with either. Choose Java fern for a taller, feathery, slightly faster-spreading plant in the midground to background. Choose Anubias barteri for tough, glossy leaves and a lower, slower centrepiece on wood or rock. Both attach to hardscape, both love low light, and both are almost impossible to kill.
| Java fern | Anubias barteri | |
|---|---|---|
| Difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Light | Low to medium | Low |
| CO2 | Not required | Not required |
| Growth rate | Slow | Very slow |
| Placement | Midground to background | Foreground to midground |
| Max height | 20–35 cm | 20–40 cm |
| Attachment | Rhizome on hardscape | Rhizome on hardscape |
| Best for | Height, feathery texture | Tough leaves, low foreground |
Feathery and taller vs tough and slow
The Java fern gives you height and a soft, feathery texture, and it multiplies by growing baby plantlets right on its older leaves — handy for filling a tank cheaply. The Anubias barteri trades speed for durability: its thick, waxy leaves shrug off nibbling fish and rough handling, but it grows so slowly that old leaves can gather algae if light is too strong. Both feed through their leaves and roots, so a little liquid fertiliser keeps them lush, and neither should ever have its rhizome buried.
Which should you grow?
Our pick
Pick Java fern if you want quicker coverage and vertical, feathery growth for the middle or back of the tank. Pick Anubias barteri if you want the toughest possible leaves and a slow, tidy foreground plant. Read the full Java fern care guide and Anubias barteri care guide, or browse aquarium plant fertilizers.
Frequently asked questions
Are Java fern and Anubias good for beginners?
Yes — they are two of the most beginner-proof aquarium plants there are. Both are rhizome plants that attach to rock or wood, thrive in low light, need no CO2 and no special substrate, and tolerate a wide range of conditions. If you have killed plants before, these two are the ones to start with.
Why should you never bury Java fern or Anubias?
Both grow from a rhizome — the thick horizontal stem the leaves and roots sprout from — and that rhizome must stay in open water. Bury it in substrate and it rots, killing the plant. Instead, tie or glue the rhizome to hardscape and let the roots grip the surface, leaving the rhizome exposed.
Which grows faster, Java fern or Anubias?
Java fern is the faster of the two, though still slow overall, and it spreads by producing plantlets on its leaves. Anubias is one of the slowest aquarium plants, putting out just a few new leaves at a time. That slow growth makes Anubias more prone to algae on its old leaves, so keep light modest.
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