Eleocharis Parvula - Tropical Aquarium Plant - CloudAqua

Eleocharis parvula, commonly known as dwarf hairgrass, is a fine-leaved grass-like plant native to shallow waters across North America and Europe. In aquariums, it is widely used as a carpeting aquarium plant, spreading quickly through runners to form dense mats. Its adaptability and natural look make it a favorite for aquascapers. With good light, CO₂, and nutrients, it develops into a rich, vibrant carpet.

An essential foreground carpeting plant, Eleocharis parvula creates a lush green meadow effect that complements both Iwagumi layouts and Nature-style aquascapes. Its fine texture contrasts beautifully with stem plants and larger-leaved species, enhancing depth and realism in planted tanks.

Separate the dwarf hairgrass into small clumps and plant them 2 to 3 cm apart to encourage better spreading. It will spread via runners across the substrate. Usage of CO₂ and higher lighting will encourage faster growth. There are 2 ways to trim hairgrass. The easier but messy way - trim the blades of hairgrass using a wavy scissors close to the substrate. This method is easier, but the leaf blades will float around in the water (difficult to remove) and the trimmed leaves might attract algae growth. The harder way - insert the scissors into the substrate to cut and pull away the runners. This method leave less waste organics in the water and is easier to remove trimmed shoots.