How to Divide Anubias Plants

Sanitize a pair of sharp garden shears or small scissors before gathering rhizome divisions from the Anubias plant. Dip the blades of the garden shears in hydrogen peroxide for 10 seconds. Allow the blades to air-dry before using them.

Lift the Anubias plant from its aquarium. Rinse the plant under cool, running water to remove any algae or dirt that might obscure the rhizomes. Place the plant in a large, deep container filled with clean water, while gathering the rhizome divisions.

Push the leaves to the side, to reveal the stems and rhizomes. Measure out 2-inch-long sections at the ends of the rhizomes. Sever the rhizome sections using the sanitized garden shears or scissors.

Place the parent plant back inside the aquarium in its original orientation. Push the base of the plant onto the soil at the bottom of the aquarium. Cover the rhizomes with a very thin layer of soil.

Nick the top edge of the rhizome divisions with the blade of your garden shears. Make two or three very shallow nicks, at equal distances along the top of the rhizomes, to promote leaf growth at each spot.

Plant the rhizome divisions in the aquarium 3 to 4 inches away from the parent plant. Press the divisions into the soil at the bottom of the aquarium. Barely cover the rhizomes with a very thin layer of soil so they are anchored, but not completely cut-off from the light.

Watch for leaf growth on the rhizome divisions three to four weeks after planting them. Keep the divisions in the aquarium, or transplant them into a different aquarium or terrarium, once they put down new roots.