baby tears propagation

Hi,

I purchased some plants a few months ago that the LFS was calling baby's
tears. They are about 6 inches or so tall, with a small tear shaped leaf
that has a split down the middle. The tend to lose a lot of their leaves
especially along the bottom of the stalk as they grow taller. I was scooping
the leaves out and tossing them. But some leaves would get mixed in with the
hornwort I have and I noticed that the leaves I left in the tank were
extending what appeared to be a root. I was wondering if all these leaves
will mature into plants. Should I remove them from my aquarium and try to
grow them elsewhere? I have a few hundred of the leaves floating in my
aquarium at this point.

http://www.avadb.com/photos/leaves.jpg

Thanks,

"Zathoros" wrote in message
news:2Ditf.781$zJ3.451@trnddc04...
Hi,

I purchased some plants a few months ago that the LFS was calling baby's
tears. They are about 6 inches or so tall, with a small tear shaped leaf
that has a split down the middle. The tend to lose a lot of their leaves
especially along the bottom of the stalk as they grow taller. I was
scooping the leaves out and tossing them. But some leaves would get mixed
in with the hornwort I have and I noticed that the leaves I left in the
tank were extending what appeared to be a root. I was wondering if all
these leaves will mature into plants. Should I remove them from my
aquarium and try to grow them elsewhere? I have a few hundred of the
leaves floating in my aquarium at this point.

http://www.avadb.com/photos/leaves.jpg
=====================
This looks like some type of duckweed. These small plants are already
mature - each having a root. Goldfish and koi love to eat the common type.
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Can you shoot a photo of the mature plant? That would help. This photo
does look like duckweed.

In my tank, I have Micranthemoides umbrosum, one version of baby's
tears. I have noticed the same thing, but it takes a LOOOOOOOOONG time
for a leaf to grow into a plant worthy of planting in the gravel.

If you want to grow this plant, you might want to look into getting more
light. Is it shaded by another plant? The solution to your problem might
be as simple as moving it to another location in the tank.

Cheryl

Zathoros wrote:
Hi,

I purchased some plants a few months ago that the LFS was calling baby's
tears. They are about 6 inches or so tall, with a small tear shaped leaf
that has a split down the middle. The tend to lose a lot of their leaves
especially along the bottom of the stalk as they grow taller. I was scooping
the leaves out and tossing them. But some leaves would get mixed in with the
hornwort I have and I noticed that the leaves I left in the tank were
extending what appeared to be a root. I was wondering if all these leaves
will mature into plants. Should I remove them from my aquarium and try to
grow them elsewhere? I have a few hundred of the leaves floating in my
aquarium at this point.

http://www.avadb.com/photos/leaves.jpg

Thanks,

That is Duckweed (Lemna minor). It will not easily grow in substrate.
If you want something that looks identical to Duckweed but grows in
substrate, consider Glossostigma elatinoides. Baby's tears is the
common name for Hemianthus micranthemoides, formerly Micranthemum
micranthemoides.

Thanks to everyone who replied, it's pretty clear upon closer inspection
that they were not baby tear plants as I was hoping. Here are some more
photos if anyone is interested. I can see why the word weed is in the name
duckweed, it's taking over. I suppose I should try and scoop it all out, I
took out about a pound of the stuff it grows back pretty fast though. It
more or less block out all the light below it. Due to current flow it's
mostly hanging out at one end of the tank, that half of the tank is now
algae free anyway.

http://www.avadb.com/photos/duckweed.jpg
http://www.avadb.com/photos/baby_tears.jpg


"Zathoros" wrote in message
news:2Ditf.781$zJ3.451@trnddc04...
Hi,

I purchased some plants a few months ago that the LFS was calling baby's
tears. They are about 6 inches or so tall, with a small tear shaped leaf
that has a split down the middle. The tend to lose a lot of their leaves
especially along the bottom of the stalk as they grow taller. I was
scooping the leaves out and tossing them. But some leaves would get mixed
in with the hornwort I have and I noticed that the leaves I left in the
tank were extending what appeared to be a root. I was wondering if all
these leaves will mature into plants. Should I remove them from my
aquarium and try to grow them elsewhere? I have a few hundred of the
leaves floating in my aquarium at this point.

http://www.avadb.com/photos/leaves.jpg

Thanks,