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Hemianthus callitrichoides (dwarf baby tears)

Hemianthus Callitrichoides: Dwarf Baby Tears

Updated on July 28, 2022
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Reviewed by Don Spaeth
Petco’s National Aquatic Care, Education and Programs Manager

Appearance | How to plant | Maintenance & care | Common problems | Propagation | Aquarium mates

Hemianthus callitrichoides 

If you’re up for a challenge in your aquarium, growing a more demanding carpeting plant may be the way to prove your expertise and hone your skills. Hemianthus callitrichoides—often called dwarf baby tears or baby dwarf tears—are small, bright and can look great in a variety of aquascapes.  

 Dwarf baby tears are native to places like Cuba, Puerto Rico, Jamaica and The Bahamas, and they have small green leaves that can cover the ground of an entire aquatic habitat. Hemianthus callitrichoides can be demanding, which makes them more suited for advanced aquarists. If you’re still new to aquarium plants, you should plan to roll up your sleeves when you plant this rewarding species.  

Read on to learn more about the specific needs of dwarf baby tears carpet plants, including their nutrient, substrate and CO2 needs. And if you need a little help, our aquarium lighting and hoods and freshwater substrates can help you make this plant thrive.  

Appearance  

Hemianthus callitrichoides are some of the smallest of the common aquarium plants, only growing about one to two inches tall and spreading across the floor of the aquarium as allowed. They are bright green and often grow in dense bunches, which allows them to carpet the bottom of your aquarium.  

 Dwarf baby tears can create a beautiful foreground for your aquarium if you take good care of them. The tiny stems and round leaves are only a few millimeters wide, but they still make a stunning visual impact.  

How to plant dwarf baby tears 

When used as carpeting plants, you’ll need to place Hemianthus callitrichoides near the front of your aquarium—away from shading—so that they receive enough light to grow parallel with the bottom of your habitat. If this plant doesn’t receive enough light, it will grow straight up towards the nearest light source. 

 To plant dwarf baby tears, push its roots deep into your substrate so that they are covered and anchored, but not so deep that the stems are smothered by substrate. Knowing how far to push the roots can be difficult, so it might take some trial and error. 

Maintenance and care 

Hemianthus callitrichoides is an intermediate-to-difficult plant when it comes to care. This is partly due to its very small roots, which can be hard to plant into aquarium substrate successfully. If the roots don’t take hold, the plant can’t thrive.  

However, it is possible to provide dwarf baby tears care and keep these plants alive. Here are the main care considerations for dwarf baby tears. 

Lighting

You will need to utilize plant-specific lighting providing full spectrum with a color temp around 6500K. The plant needs to be saturated in light for at least 8 hours per day, but ideally, your Hemianthus callitrichoides should get 10 to 12 hours of direct light. You can connect your lights to a timer to ensure you don’t forget to turn them on.  

Substrate

Substrate is the material that fills the bottom of an aquarium. A dwarf baby tears plant needs a nutrient-rich substrate to get the nutrition it needs to really thrive. Stick to a substrate depth of between 1.5 to 2 inches to help the roots take hold—this is also a good depth for many other aquarium plants.  

CO2

Managing the CO2 conditions in your aquarium is one of the biggest challenges to keeping dwarf baby tears plants alive. You will need a CO2 system to maintain the ideal color and density of the plant. This plant can technically be grown without CO2, but they are unlikely to thrive to their maximum potential. Temperature Hemianthus callitrichoides also require a specific temperature to look their best. Keep the plants between 68 to 82 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Fertilizers

While dwarf baby tears can often get enough nutrients from the substrate, liquid fertilizers may also be required. Consider introducing fertilizer supplements if you notice the plant looking undernourished with dying leaves. 

Maintaining certain conditions in your aquatic habitat will help dwarf baby tears plants grow faster and keep a vibrant color. As far as size is concerned, Hemianthus callitrichoides can thrive in anything from a nano aquarium to a large aquarium if their lighting and nutrient needs are met. Monitor your aquascape for the following parameters. 

  • Keep the pH range between 6 and 8.  
  • Add more intense lighting if the aquarium is deep so that the light can penetrate the water and reach the plants on the bottom  
  • Add CO2 supplements in larger aquariums to keep the proper CO2 level 
  • Consider adding driftwood, which dwarf baby tears can easily grow around 
  • Conduct regular aquarium maintenance to sustain ideal conditions

Common problems  

Like any aquarium plant, Hemianthus callitrichoides can suffer health issues if the water quality and lighting conditions are not ideal. Lacking enough light and CO2 are specifically problematic and can cause the following problems for dwarf baby tears plants.  

Stretched-out leaves

This usually means your plants are not getting enough light. In addition to having stretched leaves, light deficiency may also cause leaves to fall out of the bottom half of the plant.  

Upright stems

A dwarf baby tears plant is normally grown laterally. If the stalks grow upright and the leaves are not dense, there may be a CO2 or light deficiency. This common problem with Hemianthus callitrichoides may cause a general lack of growth. 

Transparent leaves

When the leaves on an aquatic plant start to lose color and become translucent, the plant is usually experiencing melt. This condition happens when a plant doesn’t get enough nutrients or the parameters in the water have drastically changed. Using aquarium water test kits can help monitor water parameters and maintain consistent water conditions.  

Failure to thrive

Sometimes you’ll place a new plant that simply won’t grow. This could be because the roots can’t absorb the proper nutrients. You may need to change the substrate or adjust your planting depth. Choosing a nutrient-rich substrate formulated for planted aquariums can assist with nutritional needs.

Propagation 

You can grow new dwarf baby tears from an established plant by propagation. Because this plant grows laterally, you will want to wait for a runner to sprout up from the soil. These look like small sprouts, sometimes called plantlets.  

 To propagate Hemianthus callitrichoides, separate a runner by cutting it from the main plant at the base. Plant the runner into the substrate away from the original plant. Place each runner or cluster of runners about one inch apart to achieve equal coverage across the bottom of your aquarium. 

 Aquarium mates and compatibility 

Some aquatic pets are a better match for dwarf baby tears aquarium plants than others. Generally, peaceful fish like platies, tetras, danios and rasboras can live alongside Hemianthus callitrichoides without destroying the plant’s leaves, stems or roots. Freshwater shrimps are also good because they will clean off the biofilm and trapped fish food without damaging the leaves. They may also eat dead parts of the plant, meaning you’ll have less pruning to do.  

 Aquarium mates to avoid include African cichlids, goldfish, barbs, rabbit snails, apple snails, crayfish and crabs. Some of these types of aquatic life can attack all aquatic plants—not just dwarf baby tears—and should be avoided if you want to keep a lush, natural aquarium.  

FAQs about Hemianthus callitrichoides  

Does Hemianthus callitrichoides need CO2? 

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While dwarf baby tears don’t always require CO2 to grow, they will do better in environments with a CO2 system. Especially in larger aquariums, adding supplemental CO2 may help aquatic plants, including Hemianthus callitrichoides, to grow faster and stronger. However, if you decide to go this route, remember that carbon dioxide levels should remain consistent. 

How do you take care of Hemianthus callitrichoides? 

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These plants require nutrient-rich substrate, plenty of light, CO2 and consistent water conditions. If you change the parameters of the aquarium conditions too quickly, Hemianthus callitrichoides can stop growing or develop a condition called melt. The best way to care for this plant is by starting it off in a substrate ideal for its short roots and monitoring the water conditions.  

Do my dwarf baby tears need substrate? 

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Yes. This plant does not tend to thrive in inert substrate like gravel—it will benefit from a plant-specific substrate that provides it with enough nutrients to develop. Because dwarf baby tears have very short roots, they must be planted directly in the substrate to access the minerals and nutrients there.  

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