Dwarf Baby Tears (Hemianthus callitrichoides) is a semi-aquatic plant in the Linderniaceae family. It is also known as Water Starwort, and it can be found in the West Indies, including Cuba, Puerto Rico, and The Bahamas. This plant was first collected by Holger Windeløv and Eusebio Canicio Delgado Pérez in 2003 in Las Pozas, Cuba. With its lush green cluster of leaves; sometimes they are mistaken for Monte Carlo when looking at pictures alone.
Dwarf Baby Tears Care
Dwarf baby tears must be pruned regularly. This is helpful when living in an aquarium with other fish, as dwarf baby tears are typically able to recover from being nipped at. It's best to avoid goldfish, cichlids, or really any larger fish, to help keep a calming environment for your dwarf baby tears. The carpet of green made by the DWARF BABY TEARS cluster leaves provides a great place for aquatic life to leave eggs and start breeding other aquatic life.
Dwarf Baby Tears Lighting
Aquarium lighting is very important when you consider preparing for dwarf baby tears. You want to make sure not to go above 25° C as higher temperatures have been reported to kill the plants by “melting” or turning the leaves brown. The optimal pH level is anywhere between 6.0-7.5.5. Dwarf baby tears really won’t thrive without light, and lots of it, and a good rule of thumb would be to get yourself a digital thermometer and regularly check the temperature
Dwarf Baby Tears CO2
The dwarf baby tears growth process can typically be slow, however, once the bright green leaves blossom they will spread horizontally along the base of your tank, as well as vertically. If you choose to go the CO2 route, which I recommend you do, you may also choose to use an injection of CO2 10-30 mg/l. A nano tank is really the best option, provided that you are able to keep it well-lit and temperature regulated. To have the best success rate, a high-tech tank is the best way to go.
Dwarf Baby Tears Carpet
Dwarf baby tears will grow throughout your aquarium tank, allowing for other fish to graze and hide their eggs. The importance of high light content and CO2 requirements allows for each portion of the plant to populate and produce stems that can then branch off and begin to grow alongside the aquarium. Is it possible to successfully grow dwarf baby tears on any surface, such as rocks, driftwood, and gravel, but which is the best route to take? It seems to be a matter of preference for most people as any of these will wield the results of carpeting.
Growing Dwarf Baby Tears on Driftwood and Rock
Driftwood is commonly used with dwarf baby tears, as it can be fairly easy to grow around. Having cracks in the driftwood is also beneficial as it gives the clusters more room to grow and immerse itself within the wood. Some people also chose to use sand as opposed to rocks or gravel, as this is believed to help the roots grow easier and faster. If you start to notice a brown coloring to your green clusters, this is a sign that the leaves are starting to die off.
Pruning Dwarf Baby Tears
Dwarf baby tears tend to be iron deficient, so they would best thrive off a nutrient rich substrate. Aqua Soil Powder is a great option to use as it is rich in nutrients and minerals that promote healthy growth, while also appearing in a natural earth coloring that looks visually stunning in any aquascape. Dwarf Baby Tears tend to grow into a large carpet at the bottom of your tank. If you start to notice yellowing on your leaves, this is a sign of an iron deficiency and it’s best to act fast and dose it with iron supplements.
