Aquariums at home, in the office or any other public place invariably attract the attention of those present. Silently moving fish sliding along the walls of the snail - we are used to seeing all this in aquariums. But the picture would be incomplete without aquarium plants. Hemianthus micrantemoides is an aquatic herb that will perfectly complement the aquarium design and benefit the inhabitants of the reservoir. In the article, we will analyze the features of the care and maintenance of this aquarium plant.
Description
Scientifically, this aquatic grass is called Hemianthus micranthemoides. There are also other names - mikrantemum few-flowered, mikrantemum mikrantemoides. The plant is popularly called "pearl grass" due to the air bubbles that accumulate on the leaves and shimmer in the light of aquarium lamps. They resemble pearl beads.
Hemianthus micrantemoides is an aquatic plant from the Norichnikov family. Hemianthus is native to the tropical regions of America. long stem plantwith small dense green leaves reaches a length of 30 cm. There are whorls on the stem, from which 3-4 leaves grow up to 0.5 cm long and up to 0.2 cm wide.
The root system in the ground spreads along the bottom of the aquarium in different directions. The roots are weak, but the plant takes root quite well. In an aquarium, a green meadow is obtained from plantings of mikrantemum by planting stems in groups of several dozen pieces. The plant grows well both vertically and grows horizontally and spreads along the bottom of the reservoir.
When buying this water plant, pay attention to the number of leaves in one whorl. The fact is that there is a type of hemianthus with 2 leaves and with 3-4. The first one does not allow the formation of beautiful and diverse forms, since it grows mainly upwards. The representative with 3-4 leaves grows beautifully in all directions. Therefore, check the purchased Hemianthus micrantemoides with the photo of the desired species, which you will find below.
Containment conditions
Maintaining Hemianthus Mikrantemoides is not difficult even for beginners in the aquarium business. Experts still recommend adhering to certain indicators when growing a plant:
- It is important that the water temperature is not lower than +16 °C and not higher than +28 °C. As you can see, the range is quite wide, so it should not be difficult to provide.
- Ph of water (acid-base balance) should be neutral, at around 5-7 units. This indicator is monitored especially strictly, because the slightestdeviation will affect plant viability.
- But the water hardness index is not so important, water with a hardness index of 3 to 15 dGH will do.
- The plant needs enough light for normal development and life processes. The lack of light will affect the color of the foliage, which will turn brown. The shape of the aquatic grass will also change as the stems reach upwards in search of light sources.
- The size of the aquarium for a mikrantemum is completely unimportant, just like the shape.
For soil, it is better to choose medium or fine sand. For underdeveloped roots, this is the most suitable substrate.
How to care?
Caring for a plant comes down to following simple rules:
- Ensure a constant supply of carbon dioxide.
- Decorative pruning is carried out as needed, the plant tolerates it well.
- Water purity is very important for Hemianthus mikrantemoides, so it is advisable to change the water in the aquarium at least once a week. It would also be nice to equip the aquarium with a good filter.
- Aquatic grass is propagated by simply separating a part of the plant (whole stem or part) and planting in the right place.
Landing
After you have bought a water plant and brought it home, the question arises how to plant Hemianthus micrantemoides. The planting process boils down to the fact that the stems deepen a short distance into the ground. And they puta plant with and without roots, which makes the task even easier.
Micrantemum roots quickly appear. Even if you just put the plant in the aquarium without deepening it in the sand, the chemianthus will not die. There are no restrictions in choosing a place for planting aquatic grass - they plant it in the foreground, and in the background, and in the corners of the aquarium.
The benefits of a plant for an aquarium
The benefits of Hemianthus Mikrantemoides are hard to overestimate. This is both the processing of carbon dioxide and the enrichment of water with oxygen. The decorative qualities of the plant are used in aquascaping, a special technique for decorating aquariums.
Experts advise planting mikrantemum in the middle and background, where it looks most impressive. Due to the undemanding to the size of the container, this water grass is used to decorate small shrimp, medium and large aquariums.
Which inhabitants are suitable for?
Hemianthus grows well with other aquatic plants. But among the aquarium fauna there are limitations. These inhabitants happily feast on tender foliage:
- cichlids;
- pezzilia (mollies and guppies too);
- barbs;
- all types of snails (especially snails).
The rest of the fish will not harm the chemianthus, and during spawning, the grass will serve as a refuge for the females. The photo below shows barb fish.
Difficulties in content
Despite the ease of care, the mikrantemum is prone to disease, especially if the conditions listed above are violatedcontent. Common problems are:
- If the chemianthus micrantemoides turns yellow or red, then the plant is experiencing a lack of nutrition. In this case, liquid mineral fertilizers are added to the aquarium.
- Grass growth stops if there is not enough carbon dioxide or the acid-base balance of water is disturbed. The problem is solved by a complete replacement of water, normalization of the supply of carbon dioxide and control of the ph level of the aquatic environment.
- If the leaves have become small, and the stems are stretched up, this is a clear sign of a lack of light. Perhaps the aquarium or the place where the mikrantemum is planted is not well lit.
If you provide pearl grass with comfortable conditions, it will grow for more than one year. The plant is considered long-lived.
Plant species
The Hemianthus plant has subspecies:
- Chemianthus Cuba. The height of the plant does not exceed 6 cm, the leaves are very small, up to 1 mm. Forms a dense clearing in sufficient light. With a lack of light, plant growth stops. Recommended for landing in the front of the aquarium.
- Glomeratus. A typical representative of the species, suitable for any aquarium design. Demanding on light - for normal growth, a sufficient amount of light is needed. Gradually grows along the bottom of the aquarium, forming a beautiful thick cap.
- Monte Carlo. Forms a carpet up to 10 cm high, leaves 2-3 mm in size. The view differs in that it is undemanding to illumination. The long tenacious roots of the plant easily hold a lush clearing. Regular pruning up to 3-5 cm is recommendedtall.
- Umbrozum, or Shady Hemianthus. This is a long-stemmed species with rounded leaves, reaching a diameter of 1 cm. It is demanding on illumination (2-5 W per l) and carbon dioxide levels (10 mg per l).
Hemianthus micrantemoides is an unpretentious representative of the aquatic fauna, suitable for all types of aquariums. Thick dense "hair" allows you to create various forms without much effort. If you are looking for a beautiful creeping grass for a pond, feel free to purchase Hemianthus.
