Hemianthus: species and content of aquarium plants

The aquarium is undoubtedly a real decoration of any home. At the same time, everyone prefers their own style of design for this miniature reservoir: someone likes minimalism, which is characterized by a complete absence of vegetation, a rocky bottom and shards with figurines, while someone prefers complete landscaping. It is for them that Hemianthus is suitable - a herbaceous perennial that lives in the water and is widely used to decorate aquariums. Some experts also refer to this plant as micrantemum.

Hemianthus belongs to the plantain family, but it has nothing to do with the well-known plantain. In its natural environment, it is found near marshy places and on the banks of small rivers in tropical and subtropical zones. Micrantemum grows 15 cm wide. The plant is distinguished by the following features:

• elongated creeping roots forming a large number of filamentous roots;
• branched stems - their thickness is 0.4-0.6 cm;
• rounded sheet plates;
• small flowers located in the first pair of leaf sinuses, which tend to bloom during the winter months.

There are several main varieties, among them Hemianthus micrantemoides, dwarf and other subspecies. Some of them have become more common among aquarists.

A representative of this subspecies lives in the marshlands of North and South America. This plant can be recognized by rather small leaves, the diameter of which does not even reach 1 cm.In its natural habitat, it exists above and below water and grows up to 15 cm wide and 20 cm long.

Micrantemum shady is ideal for aquariums of any size, but it looks best in tanks of 100 liters or more. Usually this plant is planted in the middle or foreground, rooting with a dense synthetic thread between stones and driftwood. This plant forms a harmonious tandem with Javanese moss and fern. If you create comfortable conditions for it, then it grows rather quickly, becomes lush, and the color becomes saturated. The plant requires:

• water temperature in the range from 21 to 27 °;
• acidity from 5 to 8 units;
• hardness not exceeding 9;
• at least 8 hours of lighting (both natural and artificial are allowed, it is best to use fluorescent lamps with a power of 0.7 W / l);
• loose silted (but not sour) substrate;
• regular foliar feeding;
• carbon dioxide concentration not exceeding 10 mg / l: if this parameter is higher, the leaves will become small and inconspicuous;
• regular haircuts, which contributes to greater splendor.

This plant was discovered in 2010 in Argentina. Monte Carlo is usually planted in the foreground in the aquarium. This plant is ideal for creating stylish, beautiful and varied aqua designs. It should be noted that this is a relatively new species for aquarists, so there is little information on the conditions of its keeping. Nevertheless, some of the nuances are known. In particular, for the full growth and development of this type of green aquatic life, you need:

• well-filtered water: if the plant is covered with algae, it begins to wither and die;
• low lighting: it is allowed to use lamps with a power of 0.5 W / l.

To maintain the health of leaves and roots, they need regular feeding with iron-containing preparations, otherwise the leaves begin to turn yellow and fall off. Keep in mind that if you notice that the leaves have turned black, you have overfeed them. In this case, feeding should be stopped for a while. Features of the plant:

• the concentration of carbon dioxide does not matter to him;
• fine-grained soil is desirable;
• the water temperature should be in the range of 22-28 °;
• permissible stiffness index 5–19;
• acidity should be determined within 5 units.

This type of mikrantemum grows in shallow lakes and ponds in the eastern part of the North American continent. The few-flowered micrantemum have erect stems, which are sufficiently elongated and spread apart. These bushes grow up to 25-30 cm. The leaves have a pronounced light green shade, are located 3-4 in whorls, cuttings are absent. The leaflet is oblong, the apex is obtuse, the width of the base is small: about 3 mm, and the length of the plate does not exceed 1 cm. The roots are rather weak, creeping along the bottom.

This variety is considered the most unpretentious, since its successful maintenance requires compliance with the most elementary conditions:

• small tanks with a volume of 25–30 liters;
• acidity in the range of 5–9 units;
• water hardness at the level of 13-14;
• the temperature is in a fairly wide range: from 16 to 29 °, thanks to such unpretentiousness, the plant does not suffer even in the cool season;
• bright lighting (from 1.7 W / l) and at least 4-hour daylight hours;
• the plant needs clean, well-filtered water, it is advisable to replace it by 20-25% every week;
• the soil must be fed regularly, it is best to use blue clay.

If these rules are respected, then the small-flowered micrantemum grows very quickly, adding up to 10 cm every month.

Before buying a hemianthus, it is necessary to inspect it as carefully as possible from all sides in order to make sure that there are no algae on the leaves. The fact is that they tend to grow very quickly and are capable of destroying all aquarium vegetation. If you have not done this and found algae already at home, be sure to rinse your green pet well in running water at room temperature. Each bush must be placed on a specially designated area. If the plant turns out to be more voluminous than you expected, just divide it into several parts and plant it, there is no need to root it.

Before planting, it is advisable to put a small piece of clay in the ground or a suitable fertilizer: they contain the trace minerals needed to maintain proper plant growth and health. It is better to choose a place for a hemianthus that is well lit, so backgrounds are not suitable for it. It is optimal to plant it in the front area, and use special aquarium fluorescent lamps for lighting. Natural lighting is allowed during daylight hours.

Hemianthus is able to adapt to existence in any aquarium, but it is believed that the most optimal containers for it with a volume of 70 liters or more, since in them it will be much easier to "mow" a fast-growing lawn. In small aquariums, it simply drowns out all other plants, and it looks much more organic when it is located in spacious containers, without interfering with admiring other inhabitants of the aquatic microcosm. The plant reacts best to warm water (25–28 °), soft (up to 6) and non-acidic (6–7 units). Lighting should be continuous. But in order for the foliage to be thicker and brighter, it is desirable that the light be indirect, and slightly muffled or diffused. It does not matter at all whether it is natural or artificial.

To ensure lush growth, you should feed the plant with a complex of fertilizers from time to time. If this is not done, then the leaves begin to turn yellow and fade very quickly. Do not forget about the constant filtration of water and its periodic renewal: these manipulations have the most beneficial effect on the development of hemianthus. Otherwise, the leaves quickly become covered with algae, which at best will hide the beauty of the plant, and at worst will destroy it.

If you notice that your pet's castings are crushed or stopped growing altogether, then most likely the conditions for keeping the plants are violated. Recheck each indicator and, if deviations are found, immediately take corrective measures:

• if the temperature has dropped, it must be increased to the optimal level;
• if the acidity has decreased or increased, respectively, increase or decrease it.

If all the parameters are within the limits of the standards, then, perhaps, your problems will be solved after a partial water renewal. Unfortunately, chemianthus is still poorly understood by scientists, so aquarists often have to solve most of the problems that arise through trial and error.

Hemianthus reproduces very simply: cut off tops, shoots and roots. All you have to do is just place them in the same substrate and put blue clay under it. This measure contributes to the rapid rooting and good survival of the plant.However, when creating comfortable living conditions, young Hemianthus can take root without fertilizing.

You need to plant the plant with separate branches very carefully using tweezers, each in a separate hole. It is allowed to lightly press down on it with a pebble for a while, so that the bush does not float up until it is completely rooted.

Hemianthus is a rather fragile plant, which is why dangers await it literally at every step. Snails, herbivorous fish, and algae can be fatal for him. Most often, an aquarium inhabitant becomes a victim of fast-growing algae. As they grow, they literally entangle the shrub and injure its leaves. This often leads to the death of the plant. To avoid such a nuisance, you should change the water as often as possible and avoid too bright lighting.

Regardless of what the environment is in your aquarium, the first time after planting the Hemianthus, you need to monitor its condition. And if you notice that something is going wrong - change the conditions of detention, then continue to observe.

For information on how to properly cut Hemianthus micrantemoides, see the next video.