Care Guide

Hair Grass

Eleocharis Acicularis

Beginner difficultyIn Stock

Care at a Glance

Lighting

Moderate

Growth Rate

Moderate

Growth Form

Upright and spreading through rhizomes

Placement

Foreground

True Aquatic

Yes

Available As

Potted, mats

About This Plant

Eleocharis pusilla is an excellent aquarium plant for the foreground areas. There are many different varieties of Eleocharis that are sold as dwarf hairgrass and Eleocharis pusilla is one of the shortest growing varieties. Plant several pots of Eleocharis pusilla in the desired areas and then watch them expand by spreading runners to create a dense carpet. Eleocharis pusilla can also be purchased on cocofiber mats in 2 different sizes if you need larger amounts. Cocofiber mats make it easy to pull the fine roots out of the backing matieral for easier planting. For quickest spreading, divide your Eleocharis plants up into small bunches and plant them separately. Your lawn will fill in much faster this way! This plant has been sold in the trade for some time as E. parvula , but that plant is probably not in the hobby, as it is a brackish water species.

Quick-Reference Details

Common name: Hair Grass
Scientific name: Eleocharis Acicularis
Family: Cyperaceae
Native to: Australia and New Zealand
Difficulty: Beginner
Requirements: Easy, but grows thickest with good light and supplemental CO2
Lighting: Moderate
Growth rate: Moderate
Growth form: Upright and spreading through rhizomes
Placement: Foreground
True aquatic: Yes
Available as: Potted, mats

Difficulty — Beginner

Tolerates a wide range of conditions and forgives setup mistakes. Adapts to most lighting setups.

CO2 & Fertilization

CO2 supplementation is recommended for best growth and color. Liquid carbon (Easy Carbon, Excel) is a workable substitute, though pressurized CO2 produces the strongest results.

Tank Size & Setup

Suits tanks of any size. Foreground carpeting plants work especially well in 10-40 gallon planted setups where the viewer is close to the substrate.

Aquascaping & Placement

Use as a foreground carpeting plant. Plant small portions on 2-3 cm centers and let runners fill the gaps over 4-8 weeks. The rhizome is the green horizontal stem. Attach it to driftwood, lava rock, or stone with cotton thread or super-glue gel — burying the rhizome causes rot.

Tank-Mate Compatibility

Compatible with the full range of community-tank species — tetras, rasboras, livebearers, corydoras, and most other peaceful freshwater fish do not damage the foliage. Tough enough for cichlid tanks and goldfish setups where most other plants are uprooted or eaten — the leaves are too leathery for those fish to chew through.

Common Care Issues

Rhizome rot

The rhizome (the thick horizontal stem) must stay above the substrate. Buried rhizomes turn black and mushy within a few weeks. Tie the plant to hardscape or wedge it between rocks instead.

Slow initial growth

Most aquarium plants pause for 2-4 weeks after planting while they convert from their nursery-grown emersed form to fully submerged growth. New leaves that emerge underwater will look thinner and slightly different — this is the plant adapting, not a problem.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much light does Hair Grass need?

Hair Grass (Eleocharis Acicularis) prefers moderate lighting. A standard planted-tank LED fixture run 7-9 hours a day is typical.

Does Hair Grass need CO2?

CO2 supplementation is recommended for best growth and color. Liquid carbon (Easy Carbon, Excel) is a workable substitute, though pressurized CO2 produces the strongest results.