HC Cuba
Hemianthus callitrichoides
Also sold as Dwarf baby tears · Hemianthus callitrichoides Cuba · HC · Cuba
Synonyms Hemianthus cuba
HC Cuba (Hemianthus callitrichoides) is a carpeting plant for the foreground, growing to about 3 cm (1.2 in) at a moderate pace. It wants 68–82°F (20–28°C), medium light and pressurised CO₂, and counts as an advanced plant to keep alive.
At a glance
| Type | Carpeting plant |
|---|---|
| Light | MediumThe least light it survives in, not the light it looks best in. |
| CO₂ | RequiredWhether it survives without added CO₂ — not whether CO₂ would help it grow faster. |
| Difficulty | Advanced |
| Temperature | 68–82°F (20–28°C) |
| Max height | 3 cm (1.2 in)Grown submersed, left to mature, never trimmed. |
| Growth rate | Moderate |
| Placement | planted in the foreground |
Before it goes in
- HC Cuba needs medium light. Under a low-light LED it thins out instead of filling in.
- Pressurised CO₂ is required — without injection it melts away rather than settling in.
- In too little light it stretches upward instead of running sideways, and the carpet never closes.
- It stays around 3 cm (1.2 in), low enough to keep the front glass clear.
- Its leaves are soft: Goldfish, Common Pleco and Molly will eat it.
- It needs about 5 weeks to root. Fish that dig — Goldfish and Common Pleco — will lift it before then.
- It counts as an advanced plant: it is not a first-tank pick.
Can it grow without CO₂?
No. HC Cuba needs pressurised CO₂; without it, it melts back rather than settling in.
How much light does it need?
Medium light — and that is the survival line, not the “it looks better” line. Below it, this one stretches instead of spreading.
How big does it get?
About 3 cm (1.2 in) tall when it is mature and untrimmed, growing at a moderate pace, after roughly 5 weeks to root in.
Will my fish eat it?
Its leaves are soft, so some will: Goldfish, Common Pleco and Molly.
What it goes with
- Plants that run on the same light and CO₂, so they can share a tank without one of them being the odd one out: Hygrophila corymbosa 'Siamensis', Water Sprite, Anubias nana 'Petite' and Cryptocoryne wendtii.
- Animals that share its temperature range and will not eat or uproot it: Betta, Cherry Shrimp, Angelfish and Bristlenose Pleco.
Often compared with
| HC Cuba | Glossostigma | Monte Carlo | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Light | Medium | Medium | Medium |
| CO₂ | Required | Recommended | Recommended |
| Max height | 3 cm | 3 cm | 4 cm |
| Difficulty | Advanced | Advanced | Medium |
More plants
Sources (3) · checked Sep 2026
- Temperatureaquasabi.com
- Lightbuceplant.com
- CO₂tropica.com