Dwarf Baby Tears, also known as 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 incredible rate, within the container floor with a lush valley carpeting.
The Dwarf Baby Tears naturally does occur in Cuba, but it's spread through implanted tanks worldwide. They are typically sold individually in little pots or, for just less patient aquarists that want an immediate carpeting, they come already optimized and grown in coco fiber mats.
They are also able to be seen rooted in driftwood bits for aquascaping purposes.
Tank Requirements
Even the Hemianthus Callitrichoides will thrive in mostly contaminated water with a pH range between 5.0-7.5 and also a temperature between 70-84 degrees Fahrenheit. Being small, this plant is also ideal even for Nano tanks, given they have been well-lit.
Light as strong as two watts per gallon minimum should really be available to keep the plant growing near the bottom. Less light may induce it to rise up to the water surface, where it naturally lives from the open.
Planting your Dwarf Baby Tears
Dwarf Baby Tears usually are found rooting on porous rocks or driftwood pieces. They may be implanted in the substrate for a foreground plant, however the effect is a lot more resilient and natural when attached with additional tank objects.
It's possible to tie small sections of Hemianthus into some stone or wooden piece of your own choice and leave it to develop its own origins around the thing. Many aquarists prefer using cotton ribbon instead of rubber bands or fishing line, even as it is hardly noticeable and it melts with time, leaving only the roots attached.
Yet another manner of keeping them from drifting around would be to cover the Dwarf Baby Tears' roots with moss that'll then add weight into the plant.
These mosses will provide additional nourishment, as well as a good hiding ground for newly hatched fry.
For planting in the substrate, you are able to plant an entire kettle in one place and wait for it to spread, or you may split up little stalks and plant them around one inch apart for faster coverage.
This is a timeconsuming procedure, however, so permit a few aquascaping hours. Plant the stalks using a long pair of tweezers and make sure the roots are well inserted in the soil.
Care
Dwarf Baby Tears need a fine-grained substrate rich in nutrients and minerals, especially iron. The plant is sensitive to iron deficiency and can display yellow leaves if there's insufficient iron at the tank.
They'll do well with CO2 supplementation and also constant fertilization that will help hasten growth speed.
Always prune this plant, even as while growingnew stems will get on top of old ones and suffocate them; Dwarf Baby Tears literally kills itself if left unattended.
Reproduction
The Hemianthus has pretty slow growth and development rate, but will still spread upon the substrate after settling into your tank. Roots will branch away and create a complex network, leading to a carpet-like appearance, but only in the event that you remember to constantly trim the plant to keep it low.
Another popular way of dispersing the Dwarf Baby Tears will be always to cut off smaller sections of plants and replanting these at the substrate.
This way, they are going to cover the tank up floor faster, as propagation is manufactured out of several points.
Tank Mates
The Dwarf Baby Tears can be planted along with other short foreground plants from contrasting colors. The dense carpeting enables spawning fish to lay their eggs and the young fry to cover up from harassing adults.
There's absolutely not any worry if plant-nipping fish graze over the Hemianthus Callitrichoides, even as it'll quickly recover and grow , specially if it has recently covered a substantial surface.
Try never to include ravaging fish, for example as Oscars or even Jack Dempseysinto a tank planted with Hemianthus Callitrichoides, as they are going to make an effort to uproot weaker stems when"rescaping" the tank.
Goldfish are perhaps not just a good idea as a result of these different environmental requirements and since they will stubbornly try to eat just as much of the plant as you can.
Be creative and use your own imagination and take to some aquascaping tricks for this tiny plant that is versatile. You can put it to use in several tanks, from the tiniest to the biggest, in a variety of means.
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