It grows tiny, bright green leaves in an amazing speed, since the tank floor having a lush valley rug.
The Dwarf Baby Tears naturally occurs in Cuba, but it's spread throughout planted tanks worldwide. They're usually sold separately in small pots or, for just less patient aquarists that need an instant carpet, they come already grown and rooted in coco fiber mats.
They are also able to be utilized rooted in driftwood pieces for aquascaping purposes.
The Hemianthus Callitrichoides will thrive in mostly acidic water with a pH range between 5.0-7.5 and a fever between 70-84 degrees Fahrenheit. Being so small, this plant is also ideal even for Nano tanks, given they have been well-lit.
Light as strong as two drops per gallon minimum should be available to hold the plant growing near the ground. Less light may induce it to rise upto 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 can also be implanted in the substrate as a foreground plant, however the result is much stronger and more natural when attached with other tank items.
It's possible to tie tiny sections of Hemianthus to some rock or wooden piece of your own choice and leave it to build up its origins around the object. Most aquarists prefer using cotton ribbon rather than rubber bands or fishing line, because it's barely noticeable and it dissolves over time, leaving the roots attached.
Yet another manner of keeping them from floating around is to pay for the Dwarf Baby Tears' roots together with moss that'll add some weight into the plant.
These mosses will provide additional nourishment, together with a good hiding ground for newly hatched fry.
For planting in the substrate, then you are able to plant an entire kettle in 1 place and wait for it to spread, or you are able to split up little stalks and plant them around one inch apart for faster policy.
This can be a time-consuming process, though, so allow some aquascaping hours. Plant the stems utilizing 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, particularly iron. The plant is more sensitive to iron deficiency and also can display yellowish 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 rate.
Always prune this plant, as while growing, new stems are certain to get on top of old ones and suffocate them; Dwarf Baby Tears literally kills itself if left unattended.
Reduce the stalks with a rather sharp pair of scissors or a razor blade to help keep them in place while trimming.
Reproduction
The Hemianthus has pretty slow rise and development speed, but may spread across the substrate after settling in your tank. Roots will branch off and develop a complex network, leading to a carpet-like look, but only in case you make sure to trim the plant to keep it really low.
Yet another popular way of distributing the Dwarf Baby Tears will be to cut smaller segments of larger plants and replanting them in the substrate.
In this manner they will cover up the tank floor faster, as propagation is made from a number of points.
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 younger fry to cover up from harassing adults.
There's no worry if plant-nipping fish spilled over the Hemianthus Callitrichoides, as it will begin to recover and grow , especially if it has covered a substantial surface.
Try never to incorporate ravaging fish, such as Oscars or even Jack Dempseys, to a tank planted with Hemianthus Callitrichoides, since they are going to endeavour to uproot weaker stems when"rescaping" the tank.
Gold fish are not a fantastic idea because of their different ecological requirements and because they are going to try to eat as much of this plant as feasible.
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, from the tiniest to the biggest, in a variety of means.
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