Dwarf Baby Tears, also called Hemianthus Callitrichoides or even Hemianthus Callitrichoides in aquarium literature, is perhaps one of the popular foreground plants for planted aquariums.
It develops tiny, bright green leaves in an wonderful speed, since the tank floor having a lush emerald rug.
The Dwarf Baby Tears naturally occurs in Cuba, however, it has spread throughout planted tanks worldwide. They're usually sold separately in small pots or, for even less patient aquarists that need an instant carpet, they come already optimized and grown in coco fiber mats.
They can also be utilized rooted in driftwood pieces for aquascaping purposes.
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, so given they have been well-lit.
Light as strong as 2 g per gallon minimum should really be available to maintain the plant growing close to the bottom. Less light will make it to grow up to the surface, where it lives in the open.
Planting your Dwarf Baby Tears
Dwarf Baby Tears usually are found rooting on freshwater rocks or driftwood pieces. They can be implanted within the substrate as a foreground plant, but the result is much stronger and more natural when attached with other tank objects.
It is possible to tie modest segments of Hemianthus into a rock or wooden piece of one's own choice and leave it to build up its own origins around the thing. Many aquarists prefer using cotton ribbon instead of 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 will add some weight to the plant.
All these mosses will offer more nutrients, together with a good hiding ground for newly hatched fry.
For planting at the substrate, then you are able to plant a whole pot in one place and wait for it to disperse, or you may split up little stalks and plant them about 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 will display yellowish leaves if there is not enough iron in the tank.
They will do best with CO2 supplementation and constant fertilization to help accelerate growth rate.
Always prune this plant, as while growingnew stalks can reach top of old ones and suffocate themDwarf 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 into your tank. Roots will branch away and produce an intricate network, resulting in a carpet-like look, but only in case you make sure to constantly trim the plant to keep it 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 side other short foreground plants in contrasting colors. The dense rug enables spawning fish to lay their eggs and the young fry to cover up from harassing adults.
There's no worry when plant-nipping fish graze on the Hemianthus Callitrichoides, even as it'll quickly recover and grow , especially if it has covered a substantial surface.
Try never to add ravaging fish, for example as for example Oscars or Jack Dempseysinto a tank planted with Hemianthus Callitrichoides, as they are going to endeavour to uproot poorer stalks when"rescaping" the tank.
Gold fish are not really a fantastic idea because of the different environmental requirements and simply because they will stubbornly attempt to eat as a lot of the plant as you possibly can.
Be creative and use your imagination and also try some aquascaping tricks for this small plant that is versatile. You are able to put it to use in many tanks, even from the smallest to the biggest, in a variety of ways.
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