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Tropica Micranthemum callitrichoides Cuba 1-2-GROW!

Ultra-fine Micranthemum callitrichoides HC Cuba carpet plant in Tropica tissue culture

Tropica

Regular price
£7.99
Regular price
Sale price
£7.99
  • Hurry, only 1 item left in stock!
Quick Facts

Rating:

Common name:Pearl weed

Position in Aquarium: Foreground

Growth rate: Fast

Grows up to: 3 cm

Pot size: 7 cm

Origin: Australia

Description

Micranthemum callitrichoides Cuba, commonly known as HC Cuba or Dwarf Baby Tears, is the finest-leaved and most sought-after carpeting plant in the planted aquarium hobby, producing an incredibly dense, delicate carpet of tiny round leaves on hair-thin creeping stems across the substrate surface. At the right scale it creates the impression of a miniature lawn with a level of detail and refinement unmatched by any other aquarium carpeting plant.

It is one of the most demanding aquarium plants — requiring very bright light, continuous CO2 injection, and soft, slightly acidic water to form and maintain the characteristic tight, low-growing carpet. Without these conditions the stems grow upward rather than creeping flat and the plant quickly deteriorates. Precise nutrition and stable water conditions are essential for long-term success.

Supplied as a Tropica 1-2-GROW! tissue culture cup, this plant arrives completely free from snails, pest algae, and pesticide residue. Rinse the gel and plant very small portions in a grid across the substrate. Suited to experienced hobbyists with bright lighting, CO2, and soft water — the ultimate high-tech carpeting plant and fully shrimp safe.

Plant Sizes

The image of the plant you'll be receiving is just an example of what you can expect. Each plant is unique and may vary in size and shape, so it won't be an exact match to the photo. If we provide a size guide, keep in mind that it's just an estimate and that plants can vary in size depending on the time of year.

WHAT TO EXPECT

Tissue cultured plants are supplied young and grown in a sterile environment, so they arrive free from snails, algae and pesticide residue. They may look smaller on arrival, but each cup contains multiple plantlets designed to be divided and planted out, where they establish quickly with minimal melt and grow into place.

Tropica Micranthemum callitrichoides Cuba 1-2-GROW!
Tropica Micranthemum callitrichoides Cuba 1-2-GROW!
Tropica Micranthemum callitrichoides Cuba 1-2-GROW!
Tropica Micranthemum callitrichoides Cuba 1-2-GROW! - Aqua Essentials

Customers praised this delicate aquarium ground cover plant for its "beautiful" appearance and healthy arrival. Reviews highlight excellent packaging and fast delivery. The plant requires high light, CO2, and fertilized substrate to thrive. Some noted it's "difficult" and sensitive to temperature drops. One customer warned fish may eat it faster than it grows.

  • My 3-4 weeks old H C have already started carpeting the tank beautifully.
  • Perfect for ground covering for any aquascaped aquarium.
  • Every leaf was bright green and compactly grown.
  • 5 stars: 17 (94%)
  • 4 stars: 1 (6%)
  • 3 stars: 0 (0%)
  • 2 stars: 0 (0%)
  • 1 star: 0 (0%)
J
James G.
Review

It planted well and was a couple of weeks in… then it was looking so tasty that my Siamese Algae Eaters decided to eat it. All trashed in two days.
Deffo needs a lot of light to do well, and CO2, and a well fertilised substrate, if you do that then you can’t fail. Unless your fish eat the lot over a few days…
Hemianthus micranthemoides is a better choice for me as it roots quicker and my SAEs don’t eat it faster than it grows!

U
Urszula O.
Review

Excellent plant fresh green and healthy nice packaging highly recommend

C
Carolyn T.
Review

Growing well in 2weeks - recommend

D
David G.
Review

Very high quality plants, well packaged and quickly despatched will definitely use again

J
Jonathan W.
Review

Excellent product from a excellent supplier, well packaged it’s now been planted in my aquarium and looking good and growing well. Perfect for ground covering for any aquascaped aquarium.

M
Madeleine H.
Review

Growing well and bubbling. Only been planted a couple of weeks but looks healthy.

C
Chris C.
Review

Well packaged very health plants all growing very well

R
Ralph M.
Review

Fast dispatch and delivery. Perfectly fresh and healthy HC on arrival. I'll continue buying form Aqua Essentials and would recommend highly.

P
Paulo B.
Review

This is a very beautiful and difficult plant. Had this plant in the past and was growing beautifully until they start dieing due to a unexpected drop of temperature. Tyred again and I'm impressed as they survived to a very could night. They are settling now with some growing and spreading. If 1 of the main conditions fails this plant will die tottaly. Keep the eye on everything and will be fine and healthy.

C
Colin T.
Review

Great way to buy this ultra delicate plant. Sufficient to plant an area of 15cm by 10cm, or more, depending on how dense you want the clumps. May need weighting down in light or coarser sustrates until it roots in. Growing well just one week on.

E
Ehsan S.
Review

Great customer service.
Great value for money.
Great packaging.
Fresh plants (always)
Every time arrived on time.
All my plants are doing well and look healthy.
My 3-4 weeks old H C have already started carpeting the tank beautifully.

Many thanks

J
James W.
Review

Core favourite, beautiful plant, hopefully i can look after this one and it will start to grow and spread. Thanks!

D
David M.
Review

quick - and the product is excellent

L
Lee S.
Review

Such a lovely plant and because it's so delicate it's important to have a healthy specimen when it arrives. Although this particlar range is slightly more expensive, the quality is superb. Every leaf was bright green and compactly grown. Rinse the 'jelly' (growing media) off the bottom and they're good to go. Strongly recommend the 'Tissue Culture Plants' based on this and the Ammania Bonsai I purchased. Delivery was also next day so there's not a lot to complain about!

M
Murat D.
Review

quality ships,healthy plants than you so much.

M
Mike B.
Review

Thank you - very prompt and in very good condition a great product

D
Diego Q.
Review

Beautiful little plant, and seems to have settled very well in our aquarium.

T
Tom B.
Review

Recently purchased 23 pots to totally carpet the front of my 350L aquarium, very easy to plant, just wash off the Gel, all the plants I received (plus another 30 odd, all various) were in beautiful condition, and to date are all growing strongly, very pleased with the service plus all the advice that Richard so patiently gave me, a credit to the company,highly recommended!

Product Details

1. Grown in a laboratory

Tissue Cultured Plants are unique in so much as they are grown in a laboratory and not a greenhouse. As a result of this, a cast iron guarantee is offered which is 100% so snails and no pesticides.

2. How to handle them

They're a bit different from potted plants because they're grown in an agae solution that contains nutrients and hormones to encrougage plants to grow. Some agar is liquid, others are more solid depending on what the growers prefers. Regardless once they arrive with you, acclimatise to room temperature and then rinse under luke warm tap water. Then plant up.

3. Pot sizes

Nearly all TC pots are 5cm in diameter and the pots will range in fullness depending on many factors such as the natural growth speed of the plant and the time the grower has held them for. Sometimes the pots are exceptionally full and sometimes not so full - something we cannot control. But either way, they're still really good value when you look at the overall plant mass.

Product FAQs

Helpful details before you buy.

Does HC Cuba need CO2?

Yes. CO2 injection is absolutely essential. Without CO2 the plant cannot form the characteristic flat carpet — it grows upward and quickly deteriorates.

Is HC Cuba difficult to grow?

Yes. It is one of the most demanding aquarium plants, requiring very bright light, CO2, soft acidic water, and precise nutrition. Strictly for experienced hobbyists.

What water conditions does it need?

Soft, slightly acidic water is essential. Hard or alkaline water prevents the plant from absorbing nutrients properly and the carpet will fail.

Is it safe for shrimp tanks?

Yes. As a Tropica 1-2-GROW! tissue culture plant it arrives free from snails, algae, and pesticide residue — excellent for high-tech shrimp aquariums.

How do I plant it?

Divide the cup into very small portions and plant in a grid across the foreground substrate. The portions will spread and knit together over several weeks under the right conditions.