Dwarf Baby Tears, also called Hemianthus Callitrichoides or Hemianthus Callitrichoides in aquarium literature, is probably one of the most popular foreground plants such as planted aquariums.
It grows miniature, bright green leaves in an wonderful speed, within the container floor using a lush valley carpet.
The Dwarf Baby Tears naturally occurs in Cuba, however, it has spread through implanted tanks worldwide. They are generally sold separately in tiny pots or, for even just less patient aquarists that want an immediate carpeting, they are already grown and rooted in coco fiber mats.
They are also able to be utilized rooted in driftwood pieces for aquascaping purposes.
Being small, this plant is also ideal even for Nano tanks, provided they have been well-lit.
Lighting as strong as 2 drops per gallon minimum needs to really be available to keep the plant growing close to the floor. Less light can cause it to grow upto the water's surface, where it lives in the great outdoors.
Dwarf Baby Tears usually are found rooting on freshwater rocks or driftwood pieces. They can be planted within the substrate for a foreground plant, but the effect is a lot more resilient and more natural when attached to other tank objects.
It is possible to tie modest segments of Hemianthus into a rock or wooden bit of one's choice and leave it to produce its own roots round the item. Most aquarists prefer using cotton thread rather than rubberbands or fishing line, because it's scarcely noticeable and it melts with time, leaving only the roots attached.
Still another manner of preventing them from floating around would be to pay the Dwarf Baby Tears' roots together with moss that will then add weight into the plant.
All these mosses will provide more nourishment, along with a good hiding ground for newly hatched fry.
For planting in the substrate, then you are able to plant a whole pot in one place and wait patiently for this to disperse, or you may split up small stems and plant them about one inch apart for faster coverage.
This really is a time consuming procedure, however, so permit a few aquascaping hours. Plant the stalks employing a very long set of tweezers and make certain that the roots are well fit into the ground.
Care
Dwarf Baby Tears want a high-value substrate full of minerals and nutrients, especially iron. The plant is sensitive to iron deficiency and will display yellowish leaves if there's insufficient iron in the tank.
They will do well with CO2 supplementation and also constant fertilization to help accelerate growth rate.
Always prune this plant, as while growing, new stems are certain to get on top of older ones and suffocate them; Dwarf Baby Tears literally kills itself when left unattended.
Reproduction
The Hemianthus has pretty slow growth and development rate, but may spread across the substrate after settling in your tank. Roots will branch away and create a complex network, resulting in a carpet-like appearance, but only if you make sure to trim the plant to keep it really low.
Yet another popular way of distributing the Dwarf Baby Tears is always to take off smaller sections of plants and replanting these in the substrate.
In this manner they will cover the tank up floor faster, as propagation is manufactured out of several points.
Tank Mates
The Dwarf Baby Tears may be implanted along with other short foreground plants from contrasting colors. The dense carpeting will allow spawning fish to lay their eggs along with the younger fry to hide from harassing adults.
There is not any worry if plant-nipping fish graze over the Hemianthus Callitrichoides, as it will begin to recover and grow again, especially if it has covered a considerable surface.
Try not to include ravaging fish, such as Oscars or even Jack Dempseysinto a tank planted with Hemianthus Callitrichoides, since they will try to uproot poorer stalks when"rescaping" the tank.
Goldfish are perhaps not just a good idea as a result of these different environmental conditions and simply because they will stubbornly attempt to eat as a lot of this plant as you possibly can.
Be creative and use your imagination and also try some aquascaping tricks for this specific small plant that is versatile. You are able to use it in a number of tanks, even from the smallest to the greatest, in a variety of means.
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