The strict anaerobe Geobacter metallireducens was cultivated in retentostats under acetate and acetate plus benzoate limitation in the presence of Fe(III) citrate in order to investigate its physiology underclose to natural conditions. Growth rates below 0.003 h−1were achieved in the course of cultivation. Anano-liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry-based proteomic approach (nano-LC–MS/MS)with subsequent label-free quantification was performed on proteins extracted from cells sampledat different time points during retentostat cultivation. Proteins detected at low (0.002 h−1) and high(0.06 h−1) growth rates were compared between corresponding growth conditions (acetate or acetateplus benzoate). Carbon limitation significantly increased the abundances of several catabolic proteinsinvolved in the degradation of substrates not present in the medium (ethanol, butyrate, fatty acids,and aromatic compounds). Growth rate-specific physiology was reflected in the changed abundances ofenergy-, chemotaxis-, oxidative stress-, and transport-related proteins. Mimicking natural conditions byextremely slow bacterial growth allowed to show how G. metallireducens optimized its physiology in orderto survive in its natural habitats, since it was prepared to consume several carbon sources simultaneouslyand to withstand various environmental stresses.