Each aquarium owner tries to make it beautiful, convenient and useful for the inhabitants. And eleocharis, or tiny succulent, is exactly the ground cover plant that will create a beautiful green lawn. And although it is quite whimsical, your efforts will pay off. In the article we will talk about how to care for this grass in the aquarium.
Eleocharis mini
Tiny, dwarf, Eleocharis parvula and Eleocharis parvulus are different names for a plant so beloved by aquarists. In the genus Eleocharis of the Sedge family, there are about 100 species. The peculiarity of these plants is the absence of leaves, and the thin hairy green plates that form the lawn are stems.
The plant has a developed horizontal rhizome. Most representatives are inhabitants of shallow swamps.
In the aquarium trade, tiny (Eleocharis parvula), needle (Eleocharis acicularis) and growing, or palm trees (Eleocharis vivipara) are used.
General biology
The homeland of the tiny tittyaga is North America. This is a plant with stems from 3 to 7 centimeters high, which in bunches (rosettes) of 6-8 pieces depart from a horizontal thread-like rhizome. Under favorable conditions, the rhizome grows rapidly in the ground.
And since the plant propagates by ground shoots from the rhizome, the tiny succulent (photo below) quickly colonizes the space and creates an elastic and dense carpet.
From June to October, spirally arranged bisexual flowers appear on the stems of the plant, and then white fruits. Flowers, fruits and stems are not eaten by fish.
Containment conditions
For a good development of the plant, the optimum water temperature in summer is 20-24 °С, in winter it easily tolerates a drop in temperature to 12-16 °С. The main thing is that the water is as clear as possible.
Water hardness should not exceed 15 °dGH, acidity - from 6.2 to 7.5 pH.
An important condition is the presence of oxygen in the water at a concentration of 12-15 mg/l.
Sitnyag tiny in content is afraid of fouling and plaque on the stems. Therefore, the purity of water and its replacement, cleaning the soil are indispensable conditions for the comfortable existence of grass.
Light Features
If the aquarium is large, then it is better to plant a tiny tittyag in the center, and if it is small - in the foreground.
Sitnyag grows well in both natural and artificial light. Plant growth is seasonal, so at least 14 hours of daylight is desirable. At the same time, direct sunlight for syntyagaunwanted.
Sources of artificial lighting - exclusively fluorescent lamps. Intensity - no more than 0.5 W / l. With additional side lighting, plant growth is noticeably improved.
Ground requirements
Sitnyag tiny takes root well on the ground of sand and clay, with the addition of garden soil. The rhizomes of the plant are horizontal, so a soil thickness of 2-3 centimeters will be sufficient.
Mineral bait is optional. But if the soil in the aquarium is poor, the use of fertilizers is still required in accordance with the instructions.
An important condition is the access of oxygen to the roots. To do this, it is important to monitor the density of the cover - if the nettle is strongly compacted, nutrients become insufficient. This leads to the oppression of the plant.
Planting and thinning
Even beginners can plant a plant. Bunches of blueberry together with soil are planted at a distance of 2-3 centimeters from each other. To ensure the safety of rather fragile stems, it is better to use tweezers.
Even if only one bush is planted, the rhizome will soon give rise to new shoots. If the conditions are favourable, the bluegill will grow rapidly, colonizing the entire space. You should not allow too much density, the sitnyag is thinned out by removing the bunches. In this case, it is necessary to act carefully so as not to tear out the entire rhizome.
The beauty secret of the lawn
It is worth noting that the plant is not for the lazyaquarists. A neat green lawn from it requires time and attention. To give accuracy to the cover, it is sheared. And you can do this in two ways:
- Thinning - correction of the height of the bushes is carried out with scissors, which are held almost vertically. This way, horizontal cutting lines will not be visible, and the entire lawn will maintain the required height. This is a maintenance procedure.
- Haircut "under zero" - in this case, the stems are cut so that only stumps up to 2 centimeters high remain. After such a procedure, the plant will start up a lot of lateral soil processes. But only on condition that the stalks of the plant were well developed, and the rhizome was rooted. This procedure is relevant when you need to completely update the lawn in the aquarium.
Compatibility with aquarium inhabitants and breeding
Thickets of Eleocharis tiny are not considered by fish as food. But representatives who dig the ground can cause significant harm to the plant.
A variety of ornamental shrimp look the most impressive against the background of the bluefish. In addition, shrimp cannot damage the roots of the plant, and they themselves feel very comfortable in their thickets.
"Green" neighbors of the tiny plant cannot be tall and sprawling crops. They will block out the light that is vital for the development of weed.
For plant propagation, individual bushes are separated and transplanted. At the same time, it is important to remember that the Sitnyag is very susceptible to a change of place and can get sick or wither for the first time (up to 2 weeks).
You can buy a plant in all stores that serve aquarium lovers.
Some recommendations
In order to have a beautiful bright green carpet in the aquarium, you should follow the development of green algae, which multiply well in bright light and form slime on the shoots of the plant. To prevent contamination, it is useful to carefully siphon the lawn. With the accumulation of organic residues in the substrate, the plant may die.
You can slow down the growth of the buzzard up by cutting it just before planting. And in order to get a thick lawn as soon as possible, several bushes are planted at once. They will take root quickly and produce many side shoots.
Sitnyag is very whimsical in the initial period of its development, and in an aquarium with a well-established and balanced biome, it becomes a very unpretentious plant and an active soil colonizer.
