Elatine Hydropiper

Elatine hydropiper is a small wetland plant whose range extends from Europe to Siberia and northern China. In the aquarium it forms tiny, spoon-shaped leaves arranged in opposite pairs on thin, creeping stems and weaves a light green carpet 2–3 cm high. It resembles Glossostigma but grows more slowly, so it is easier to control. Because of its small roots, it can be hard for it to take hold in the substrate after planting.

• Wash the gel off the plant from the tissue-culture cup, divide it into very small pieces and plant them deep in a fine-grained substrate with tweezers, 1–2 cm apart.
• Pieces floating up to the surface are common; a dry start (rooting the plants by keeping the aquarium only moist for a few weeks) reduces this problem.

• Light: High; in weak light the stems grow upright and the carpet thins out.
• CO₂: Required for a low, dense carpet. Thinning, shrinking leaves usually indicate a lack of CO₂.
• Fertilizer: Regular liquid fertilizer and a nutrient-rich substrate.
• When the carpet gets thick, cut it back with scissors; the cut pieces can be replanted.