🌿 General Overview

• Common Name: Glossostigma, Glosso, Small Glossostigma

• Scientific Name: Glossostigma elatinoides

• Family: Phrymaceae

• Origin: New Zealand and Australia

• Type: Foreground carpeting plant (tissue culture version is grown sterile, pest-free)

• Growth Type: Creeping, mat-forming

• Difficulty Level: Medium to high (requires good light and CO₂)

🧫 About the “TC” (Tissue Culture) Form

• Tissue culture (TC) plants are grown in sterile laboratory conditions in nutrient gel.

• Advantages of TC form:

  • Free from algae, snails, and parasites

  • 100% safe for shrimp and delicate fish

  • Adapts faster once established

  • No pesticides or contaminants

• Preparation before planting:

  1. Remove plant from cup.

  2. Rinse off all gel under clean water.

  3. Divide into small portions for planting.

🌱 Appearance

• Leaf Size: Tiny, oval-shaped leaves around 3–6 mm

• Height: 2–5 cm (stays low under strong light)

• Color: Bright to vivid green

• Growth Pattern: Creeping runners that form a dense carpet across the substrate

💧 Tank Requirements

• Tank Placement: Foreground or nano aquascape carpet

• Tank Size: Works even in small aquariums (from 10 gallons up)

• Substrate: Nutrient-rich soil or fine-grained sand

• Lighting: High intensity is essential (to keep it low and spreading)

• CO₂: Required for compact, fast, and healthy growth

• Temperature: 20–28°C (68–82°F)

• pH: 5.5–7.5

• Water Hardness: Soft to moderately hard (2–12 dGH)

🌾 Planting Tips

• Separate the tissue culture clump into small 1–2 cm pieces.

• Plant each portion individually about 1–2 cm apart using tweezers.

• Keep substrate moist during planting if dry-starting.

• The plant will begin creeping and forming runners in 1–2 weeks under ideal conditions.

☀️ Growth and Maintenance

• Growth Rate: Moderate to fast (with high CO₂ and strong light)

• Trimming:

  • Trim regularly to prevent the lower layers from rotting.

  • Trimming encourages denser and healthier regrowth.

• Fertilization:

  • Root tabs or nutrient-rich substrate for strong root development

  • Liquid fertilizers for additional micronutrients

• Propagation:

  • Through runners that naturally spread and root across the substrate

  • Trim and replant cuttings if desired

🧩 Aquascaping Uses

• Ideal for Iwagumi-style layouts and nature-style aquascapes.

• Perfect for creating lush, green carpets in foregrounds.

• Commonly paired with stones like Seiryu or Dragon Stone.

⚕️ Common Problems

• Melting or Yellowing Leaves: Often caused by low light or CO₂ deficiency.

• Vertical Growth: Indicates insufficient light or poor nutrient balance.

• Algae Growth: From excess nutrients or unstable CO₂/light levels.

🌿 Care Tips

• Maintain stable CO₂ levels (25–35 ppm).

• Ensure high light exposure for 8–10 hours daily.

• Perform weekly water changes (30–40%) for cleanliness.

• Avoid shading from taller plants to prevent upward growth.

🌍 Interesting Facts

• Glossostigma elatinoides is one of the smallest aquatic plants used in aquascaping.

• It was made famous by Japanese aquascaper Takashi Amano in his early Nature Aquarium layouts.

• Its name “elatinoides” means “resembling Elatine,” a related small aquatic plant genus.