Dwarf hairgrass (Eleocharis Parvula) is a live aquatic plant which is great for those who want to grow a lawn-type effect in their aquarium.
It’s great to have in the foreground and can grow up to 3-8″ and looks cooler if you have a larger plant in the background. But I know for those who grow it, what they love to see is it to carpet their entire bottom of their aquarium.
Granted, once it gets to that point, similar to like the grass in your yard, it will require some upkeep but it works well because it sends out runner plants.
Dwarf hairgrass loves that warm 72-78 degree Fahrenheit temperature and likes bright lighting.
But I do not recommend this live plant for beginners because it does require good lighting and also CO2 (that’s a whole different ballgame for people who just want a plant to live in their substrate and work off the LED lights they have attached to their aquarium hood), and that means it will require you to spend additional money.
Personally, if you are getting into live plants and growing them in your aquarium, you probably know you will need to invest in good lighting, even better if you get nutrient-rich substrate, good fertilizer and possibly CO2 and root tabs.
NOTE: Please do your research on CO2, to many people use the incorrect amount and end up killing all their fish and live plants.
And if that is one part of the challenge, the other thing is that certain fish love to eat dwarf hairgrass. Molly’s, rosy barbs, etc.
In one aquarium I have with no molly’s, they thrive. In my quarantine tank, the molly’s went to town on it and feed off it and love it.
And also, if you purchased the dwarf grass from a pet store, the leaves may have grown above water or since it had a gel-based substance, the dwarf grass is not used to being planted in substrate and may turn yellow.
Just wait until new runners are grown but it take some time. Keep the roots in the substrate and just wait. If it turns brown and leaves come out, just let it come out on its own and you can clean it up, but let nature takes its course and let the runners grow. It may take some time but keep giving it good lighting and proper nutrients.
So, before investing in dwarf hairgrass, know that while it’s great if you give it the nutrients, especially the CO2 and great if you have fish that won’t eat it.
Despite what many sites say how easy dwarf grass is to maintain, please do the research. This is not the type of plant you just put it in your substrate and expect your basic LED lighting to make it thrive, its actually a bit more challenging than that and may require additional investment.
But if you do want carpeting plants for your aquarium, please also look into Java Moss, Dwarf Sagittaria Subulata, Riccia Fluitans, Glossostigma Elatinoides, Marsiolea Minuta (Dwarf Water Clover), Micranthemum Tweediei, Baby Tears and Dwarf Baby Tears (Hemianthus Callitrichoides). And, yes…Marimo Moss Balls.
