Hemianthus Callitrichoides Cuba - AP008

Hemianthus callitrichoides is one of the tiniest aquarium plants on the planet. Holger Windelov discovered it in a riverbed on the island of Cuba, west of Havana, and brought it to the United States. It has a creeping growth habit, with delicate stems and tiny roundish to ovoid leaves. The plant will quickly spread and form an uninterrupted carpet if planted in little tufts at a spacing of a few centimeters. Hemianthus callitrichoides is a lovely foreground plant for both small and large aquariums.

Tropica brought Hemianthus callitrichoides, often known as miniature baby tears, from Cuba in 2004 and it has only lately entered the hobby. During the dry season, Holger Windelv discovered the plant in a rocky river 90 kilometers east of Havana. He fairly assumed that during the rainy season, the entire population is submerged in waters up to 1 m deep, with a strong current, because the dense, cushion-like population roots in gravelly substrate was growing approximately 50 cm above the waterline.

This Hemianthus species is the world’s tiniest aquarium plant, with leaves measuring about four to three centimeters in length. It has been one of the most popular aquascaping plants for numerous years.

Care Tips

• Good CO₂ levels – see guide here.
• Adequate lighting – 40umols at substrate +