About the species

Glossostigma elatinoides from Australia and New Zealand is one of the smallest aquarium plants in the world. Its small, spoon-shaped leaves sit on creeping shoots that form a carpet barely two to three centimetres deep. The species became a classic through the Japanese-inspired aquascapes where it was used as a lawn in front of the stones.

Facts

• Latin name: Glossostigma elatinoides
• Plant type: Carpeting plant
• Origin: Australia
• Height: 3–5 cm
• Growth rate: Fast
• Position: Foreground

Light requirement

High light requirement. It wants a strong light unit and a clear view of the surface — shaded by taller plants it quickly loses its lower leaves. Strong lighting also demands that CO₂ and nutrients stay in balance, otherwise algae take over.

CO₂ & nutrition

Requires injected CO₂ at roughly 15–25 mg/l to grow properly. Without CO₂ it stalls, drops its lower leaves and quickly becomes a foothold for algae. Fertilise daily or every other day with both macro- and micronutrients.

Planting

Divide the contents into many small tufts and place them two to three centimetres apart across the whole area. The more tufts you split it into, the faster the carpet knits together. Use tweezers and press the roots down without burying the leaves.

Rinse all the gel off in lukewarm water before planting, otherwise it can cause bacterial cloudiness. The cup holds many small plants — divide them up and plant them in several portions.

Care & propagation

Trim the carpet with curved scissors once it starts building upwards — that keeps it low and dense and stops the lowest shoots dying from lack of light. Siphon off the clippings right away, otherwise they root where you do not want them.

Position in the aquarium

Its low mature size makes it a foreground plant. Place it right at the front where nothing shades it, and let it form a continuous surface in front of the taller plants.

Difficulty level

🔴 Advanced — requires strong lighting, added CO₂ and careful fertilisation.

Delivery format

Delivered as 1-2-Grow! — a laboratory-grown cup holding many small plants in nutrient gel. Because the plant is cultivated in vitro it is completely free of snails, algae, planaria and pesticides, which makes it the safest choice for a shrimp aquarium.

Recommendation

A carpeting plant for anyone already running strong lighting, CO₂ and soft water — without them it stretches upwards instead of creeping. Make sure no taller plants shade it, because the carpet is quickly lost in shade.