Dwarf Baby Tears, also called Hemianthus Callitrichoides or even Hemianthus Callitrichoides in aquarium literature, is probably one of the popular foreground plants for planted aquariums.
It develops miniature, bright green leaves at an incredible speed, since the container floor using a lush emerald rug.
The Dwarf Baby Tears naturally occurs in Cuba, but it's spread through implanted tanks worldwide. They're normally sold individually in smallish pots or, for just less patient aquarists that need an instant carpet, they are already grown and rooted in coco fiber mats.
They can also be utilized rooted in driftwood pieces for aquascaping purposes.
The Hemianthus Callitrichoides will flourish in mostly acidic water with a pH range between 5.0-7.5 and also a temperature between 70-84 degrees Fahrenheit. Being so small, this plant is also ideal even for Nano tanks, given that they are well-lit.
Lighting as strong as 2 g per gallon minimum should really be available to hold the plant growing close to the floor. Less light will make it to rise upto the water's surface, where it lives from the great outdoors.
Dwarf Baby Tears are usually found rooting on porous stones or driftwood pieces. They can be planted within the substrate as a foreground plant, but the result is a lot more resilient and natural when attached with other tank items.
You're able to tie little sections of Hemianthus into a rock or wooden bit of your own choice and leave it to build up its own roots across the object. Many aquarists prefer using cotton ribbon instead of rubberbands or fishing line, because it's barely noticeable and it dissolves with the years, leaving only the origins attached.
Another way of preventing them from floating around is to cover the Dwarf Baby Tears' roots with moss that'll add some weight to the plant.
All these mosses will provide additional nourishment, as well as a good hiding ground for newly hatched fry.
For planting at the substrate, you can plant an entire kettle in one place and wait for this to disperse, or you are able to split up little stalks and plant them about one inch apart for faster coverage.
This can be a time-consuming process, however, so permit some aquascaping hours. Plant the stems utilizing a very long pair of tweezers and make certain that the roots are well inserted in the ground.
Care
Dwarf Baby Tears want a high-value substrate full of nutrients and minerals, especially iron. The plant is sensitive to iron deficiency and also can display yellow leaves if there is inadequate iron from the tank.
They'll do well with CO2 supplementation and also constant fertilization to help accelerate growth rate.
Always prune this plant, even as while growingnew stalks can reach top of older ones and suffocate them; Dwarf Baby Tears literally kills itself if left unattended.
Reproduction
Even the Hemianthus has pretty slow rise and development speed, but will still spread across the substrate after settling in your tank. Roots will branch off and produce an intricate network, leading to a carpet-like look, but only in case you make sure to trim the plant to continue to keep it really low.
Yet another popular way of propagating the Dwarf Baby Tears is to cut off smaller sections of larger plants and replanting them in the substrate.
This way, they will cover up the tank floor faster, as propagation is made from many points.
Tank Mates
The Dwarf Baby Tears can be planted alongside other short foreground plants in contrasting colors. The dense carpet will allow spawning fish to lay their eggs and the young fry to hide from harassing adults.
There is no worry when plant-nipping fish spilled over the Hemianthus Callitrichoides, even as it's going to begin to recover and grow , specially if it has already covered a considerable surface.
Try not to add ravaging fish, for example as for example Oscars or even Jack Dempseysinto a tank planted with Hemianthus Callitrichoides, as they will try to uproot weaker stems when"rescaping" the tank.
Gold fish are perhaps not just a good idea because of their different environmental conditions and since they are going to try to eat as much of this plant as you can.
Be creative and use your own imagination and try some aquascaping tricks for this particular tiny versatile plant. You can use it in a number of tanks, even from the smallest to the largest, in a variety of means.
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