Hemianthus callitrichoides (also known as dwarf baby tears, cuba or simply the initials HC) is an aquatic plant commonly used as a foreground or carpeting plant in planted aquariums. However, you should be OK with two 13W CFL bulbs. Dwarf Baby Tears are usually found rooting on porous rocks or driftwood pieces. I have a very healthy carpet and a large mass of DBT floating on the top for cover. Our primary topics include aquascaping, tank guides, equipment reviews, and showcase of various examples of great aquariums across the web. Find our more about TAG. They are usually sold individually in small pots or, for less patient aquarists that want an instant carpet, they come already grown and rooted in coco fiber mats. Lower light will make this plant grow up towards it, and higher lighting will make it grow as ground cover. There is a cheater method to get them started but, you still need to have everything above about perfect to keep them happy. CO injection 40 – 50 PAR of LED lighting will keep it growing healthily. The Dwarf Baby Tears can be planted alongside other short foreground plants in contrasting colors. Thank You From what I have read, baby dwarf tears need high light and high co2. Is there any reasonable way to re-plant the floating stuff? Dwarf Baby Tears Lighting Requirements Dwarf Baby Tears need a lot of light. You can use it in many tanks, from the smallest to the largest, in a variety of ways. Both together wattage would be 39 and I heard for baby tears you need 2-3 watts per gallon. I started the DBT from seeds. Light . Adequate light is The Aquarium Guide (TAG) was started to provide high-quality aquarium and aquascaping information, articles, and techniques in an easy to use and understand format. Less light will cause it to rise up to the water’s surface, where it naturally lives in the wild. All Rights Reserved, Ideal Water Hardness for a Planted Aquarium (KH & GH), 7 Reasons Why Ghost Shrimp Die in Your Aquarium, Amano Shrimp the Best Algae Eater for Your Aquarium, 7 Reasons That Causes Air Bubbles or Foam in Your Fish Tank, Best Tank Mates for Red Cherry Shrimp – Fish and Invertebrates. Dwarf baby tears grows best at temperatures between 68 and 82°F (20 to 29°C). Hemianthus callitrichoides was discovered by Holger Windelov (founder of Tropica company) during the dry season in the river with a rock wash not far from Las Pozas, 90 km to the East from Havana (island of Cuba). Dwarf baby tears is the smallest aquarium plant in the hobby which makes it an ideal foreground plant. Baby tears plants can thrive under artificial lights indoors. They are also a pain to root down and take a while to spread out. In the wild, dwarf baby tears appears in stream beds during the dry season. They can also be planted in the substrate as a foreground plant, but the effect is much stronger and natural when attached to other tank objects. I suspect that this isn’t the issue as the HC is growing – just on the *surface* of the water. Light as strong as 2 watts per gallon minimum should be available to keep the plant growing close to the ground. Baby Tears Plant Quick Facts: Scientific Name: Soleirolia soleirolii (Helxine soleirolii) Common Names: Baby Tears, Corsican Curse, Corsican Carpet Plant, Irish Moss, Mind-Your-Own-Business Light Requirement for Baby Tears Plant: Bright Light to Filtered Light Water Requirement for Baby Tears Plant: Very Moist. Baby’s tears has small round leaves in lush green and yellow leaves on rather fleshy stems. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. I heard Dwarf Baby Tears are really high CO2 plants and that most people suggested that home made CO2 farms couldn't cope with this and that pressurised CO2 was the way. Humidity for Baby Tears Plant: Very High. If you are looking for a carpet plant, you cannot go wrong with this stunning, fast growing groundcover used in some of the most spectacular aquascapes in the world!