Anubias Barteri 'Wrinkled' is a variety of Anubias barteri selected for its pronounced leaf surface corrugation — deep, irregular wrinkles and ridges that cover the entire upper leaf surface and give each leaf a bold, tactile texture immediately visible from across the tank. Where all other Anubias varieties in the catalog have smooth to very slightly textured leaf surfaces, Wrinkled is defined by its surface topography — a genuine three-dimensional quality across each leaf face that catches overhead and angled lighting to create highlights and shadows that no flat-leafed Anubias produces. The leaf form itself is similar to standard barteri — broad, oval to slightly heart-shaped — but the surface wrinkle makes it visually distinct at any size and in any position. As a rhizome plant it shares the same care requirements as all other Anubias: attach to hardscape, never bury the rhizome, dose liquid fertiliser, and maintain low to medium light. The bold surface texture is most visible under direct overhead or angled sidelight. Fully safe with all Neocaridina, Caridina, and snails.

Not RequiredCO₂

72–82°FTemperature

Low–MedLighting

What to Expect

Texture, Growth & Visual Character

Deeply corrugated, wrinkled leaf surface visible at any viewing distance — the corrugation is pronounced enough to be clearly visible from across the tank rather than only on close inspection — ridges and recesses run in irregular patterns across each leaf face, giving each leaf a crumpled, textured quality that reads as bold and sculptural in a layout context. Under direct overhead lighting the surface creates clear highlight-and-shadow patterns; under sidelight from a corner-positioned light or natural window light the texture becomes even more pronounced as shadows deepen into the recesses. The same deep green and broad leaf form as standard barteri — only the surface differs — the leaf colour, size, and broad oval-to-heart-shaped form of Wrinkled are consistent with standard Anubias barteri — the distinguishing quality is entirely the surface texture. This means Wrinkled can be paired with standard barteri or Round Leaf barteri on the same piece of driftwood to create a within-variety Anubias collection where the leaves are similar in size and colour but completely different in surface character, which the eye distinguishes immediately. Slow growth — each new wrinkled leaf emerges over weeks — like all Anubias, Wrinkled grows slowly and deliberately, adding one leaf at a time over weeks. Each new leaf emerges at the growing tip of the rhizome and the wrinkle pattern develops fully as the leaf matures over several days after unfurling. The wrinkle pattern on new leaves may be less pronounced immediately after emergence and deepens as the leaf reaches full size and thickness. Textured surface accumulates biofilm in the recesses — rich foraging for shrimp — the recesses between wrinkle ridges trap organic material and develop dense biofilm that shrimp graze with particular intensity compared to smooth leaf surfaces. The physical texture of the leaf surface provides grip for small shrimp that smooth surfaces do not — shrimp on Wrinkled leaves show less slipping and more sustained grazing contact than on polished smooth-surfaced leaves. Rhizome must remain fully above substrate — attach to hardscape only — secure to driftwood or stone with cotton thread or super glue gel. The rhizome must not be buried at any point. Position the attachment so the broad wrinkled leaves face the primary viewing angle and receive direct overhead light.

How to Set It Up

Getting Started

1Attach rhizome to hardscape — orient wrinkled leaf faces toward the viewer — secure the rhizome to driftwood or stone at a point where the leaves that develop will face the front of the tank. Because the texture is the defining visual quality, positioning that presents the leaf faces directly rather than edge-on to the viewer maximises the visual impact of the corrugation.

2Position under direct lighting for maximum texture visibility — Wrinkled is one of the few aquarium plants where lighting angle and quality make a significant difference to visual impact. Position it where it receives direct overhead light rather than in deeply shaded corners — the texture is most visible and most dramatically expressed under direct light that creates clear highlights in the ridges and shadows in the recesses.

3Maintain low to medium light to prevent algae on the textured surface — the recesses of the wrinkled surface can accumulate algae more readily than flat leaf surfaces under high light — the same physical structure that creates a rich biofilm environment for shrimp can harbour algae between ridge lines under excess light. Position in moderate rather than high light and allow shrimp to maintain the leaf surface naturally.

4Fertilise consistently — balanced liquid formula with iron — two to three doses of comprehensive liquid fertiliser per week maintains the deep green colour and sustains steady new leaf production. Iron is important for the richness of the green colour across both the ridge highlights and the deeper-shadowed recesses of the leaf surface.

💡 Bonus Tip

Anubias Barteri Wrinkled, Minima, and Round Leaf mounted on three separate pieces of driftwood arranged as a midground group creates the most texturally and formally varied within-species Anubias display achievable — the deeply wrinkled broad surface of Wrinkled, the smooth narrow upright form of Minima, and the smooth broad round form of Round Leaf provide three completely distinct leaf characters from a single species across all three plants, with identical care requirements and a shared deep-green colour palette that makes the group read as composed rather than miscellaneous.

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Browse more aquatic plants

Pair Wrinkled with Anubias Minima, Round Leaf, Bucephalandra, or Java Fern for a complete hardscape planting. Browse our Aquatic Plants collection.

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