Aquariums at home, in the office or any other public place invariably attract the attention of those present. Silently moving fish gliding along the walls of the snail - all this we are accustomed to observe in aquariums. But the picture would be incomplete without aquarium plants. Hemianthus mikrantemoides - water grass, which perfectly complements the aquarium design and will benefit the inhabitants of the reservoir. In the article we analyze the features of care and maintenance of this aquarium plant.
Description
Scientifically, this aquatic herb is called Hemianthus micranthemoides. There are other names - micrantemum low flowered, micrantemum micrantemoids. The people called the plant “pearl grass” due to air bubbles that accumulate on leaves and shimmer in the light of aquarium lamps. They resemble pearl beads.
Hemianthus micrantemoides is an aquatic plant from the Norichnikov family. The homeland of hemianthus is the tropical regions of America. The long stem of the plant with small dense green leaves reaches a length of 30 cm. There are whorls on the stem, of which 3-4 leaves grow up to 0.5 cm long and 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 the aquarium, a green meadow is obtained from the plantings of the mikrantemum, 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 kind of chemanthus with 2 leaves and 3-4. The first does not allow the formation of beautiful and diverse forms, because it grows mainly up. A representative with 3-4 leaves grows well in all directions. Therefore, check the acquired chemanthus mikrantemoides with the photo of the desired type, which you will find below.
Conditions of detention
The content of chemanthus micrantemoids 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 ensuring this will be easy.
- Ph water (acid-base balance) should be neutral, at around 5-7 units. This indicator is monitored especially strictly, since the slightest deviation will affect the viability of the plant.
- But the water hardness index is not so important, water with a hardness index of 3 to 15 dGH is suitable.
- The plant needs enough light for the normal development and flow of life processes. The lack of light will affect the color of the foliage, which will turn brown. The shape of the water grass will also change, because the stems will stretch up in search of light sources.
- The size of the micrantemum aquarium is completely unimportant, as is the shape.
For soil, it is better to choose sand of medium or small size. For underdeveloped roots, this is the most suitable substrate.
How to care?
Caring for a plant comes down to following simple rules:
- Provide a constant supply of carbon dioxide.
- Decorative pruning is carried out as necessary, the plant tolerates it well.
- Water purity is very important for the chemanthus micrantemoides, therefore it is advisable to change the water in the aquarium at least once a week. It will also be nice to equip the aquarium with a good filter.
- Water grass propagates by simply separating part of the plant (a whole stem or part) and planting it in the right place.
Landing
After you bought a water plant and brought it home, the question arises of how to plant chemanthus mikrantemoides. The planting process boils down to the fact that the stems are deepened a short distance into the ground. Moreover, they plant a plant with and without roots, which further simplifies the task.
Roots quickly appear in the micrantemum. Even if you simply put the plant in the aquarium without deepening in the sand, the chemanthus will not die. There is no restriction in choosing a place for planting water grass - they plant it in the foreground, in the background, and in the corners of the aquarium.
The benefits of plants for the aquarium
The benefit of chemanthus micrantemoidis is difficult to overestimate. This is carbon dioxide processing and oxygen enrichment of water. The decorative qualities of the plant are used in aquascape, a special technique for designing aquariums.
Experts advise planting a mikrantemum in the middle and background, where it looks most impressive. Due to the undemanding size of the tank, this water grass is used to decorate small shrimp, medium and large aquariums.
Which inhabitants are suitable?
Hemianthus grows well with other aquatic plants. But among the aquarium fauna there are limitations. These inhabitants gladly enjoy delicate foliage:
- cichlids;
- pezzillia (mollies and guppies too);
- barbs
- all kinds of snails (especially ampullaria).
The rest of the fish will not harm the hemianthus, and during spawning, the weeds will serve as a refuge for the females. The photo below shows barbus fish.
Content difficulties
Despite the ease of care, the mikrantemum is susceptible to disease, especially if the conditions listed above are violated. Common problems include:
- If chemanthus mikrantemoides turns yellow or red, then the plant is undernourished. In this case, liquid fertilizers are added to the aquarium.
- Grass growth stops if carbon dioxide is not enough or the acid-base balance of the water is disturbed. The problem is solved by completely replacing water, normalizing the supply of carbon dioxide and controlling the ph level of the aquatic environment.
- If the leaves become small and the stems are pulled up, this is a clear sign of a lack of light. Perhaps the aquarium or the place where the mikrantemum is planted is not adequately lit.
If pearl grass is provided with comfortable conditions, it will grow for more than one year. The plant is considered a long-liver.
Plant species
The chemianthus plant has subspecies:
- Hemianthus 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 lighting - for normal growth, a sufficient amount of light is needed. It gradually grows along the bottom of the aquarium, forming a beautiful thick hat.
- 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 light. Long tenacious roots of the plant easily hold a lush meadow. Regular cropping up to 3-5 cm in height is recommended.
- 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 liter) and carbon dioxide level (10 mg per liter).
Hemianthus mikrantemoides - 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 weed for a pond, feel free to purchase chemanthus.