(Simple, human tone, no robotic stuff, natural flow)
Anubias is usually one of the toughest plants you can put in an aquarium. That’s why it feels confusing when the leaves start turning yellow. You expect this plant to be unkillable, yet it still finds a way to look unhappy sometimes. The good news is that yellow Anubias leaves almost always point to a few simple issues, and once you fix them, the plant slowly goes back to its deep green colour.
Here’s a clean and honest explanation of why it happens and how you can fix it without stressing.
New Leaves Turning Yellow? It Might Be Nutrient Deficiency
Anubias grows slowly, so when it starts turning yellow, it’s often because it’s not getting enough nutrients. Even in low-tech tanks, the plant still needs basic things like iron and potassium. Without them, the leaves lose their color and fade.
Liquid fertilizer once or twice a week is usually enough. Anubias doesn’t need heavy dosing; it just needs something steady to avoid nutrient starvation.
Older Leaves Yellowing? That’s Normally a Sign of Weak Roots
Even though Anubias is a rhizome plant (meaning it doesn’t go deep into the substrate), it still depends on its roots for stability and basic feeding. If the roots are damaged or the rhizome is buried, the plant starts dropping old leaves first.
Make sure the rhizome is not buried in sand or gravel. It should sit on top of the substrate or be glued/tied to wood or stone. When the rhizome is buried, the plant slowly suffocates and the leaves turn yellow or melt.
Too Much Light Can Damage Anubias
Anubias prefers shade. It hates strong light. When light is too bright, the plant starts growing algae on its leaves, and over time the leaves weaken and turn yellowish. This is especially common in new tanks with strong LEDs.
Try placing Anubias under driftwood, under floating plants, or in shaded corners of the tank. Lowering light duration also helps.
Yellow Spots or Patchy Yellow Areas? Usually Potassium or Iron Issues
If your leaves don’t turn fully yellow but show small yellow patches, veins, or edges, that’s usually a potassium or iron deficiency. A simple all-in-one fertilizer fixes this over time.
Don’t expect instant results though. Old leaves won’t turn green again. Only new growth will show improvement.
Check if Your Plant Is Too Old
Slow plants like Anubias keep their leaves for months or even years. Eventually, old leaves naturally yellow and die. This is nothing to worry about. If new leaves are healthy, you’re doing everything right.
Just trim the old leaves and let the plant focus its energy on growing fresh ones.
Water Quality Swings Can Stress Anubias Too
Even though Anubias is hardy, it doesn’t like sudden changes:
• Large temperature drops
• Big pH swings
• Huge water changes after long neglect
These things can stress the plant and cause leaves to yellow. Keeping the tank steady fixes the problem without effort.
Final Thoughts
Anubias is one of the most reliable aquarium plants, so yellowing leaves almost always point to simple, fixable issues. Keep the rhizome above the substrate, avoid blasting it with strong light, give it a little fertilizer, and keep your water stable. Once things settle, new leaves start coming in healthy again. The older yellow leaves won’t recover, but the plant as a whole will look strong and fresh soon enough.