TankBud

Dwarf hairgrass Mini

Eleocharis sp. 'Mini'

Also known as Eleocharis parvula 'Mini', Eleocharis acicularis 'Mini', Eleocharis pusilla 'Mini', Eleocharis Belem, Eleocharis sp. 'Belem', Dwarf hairgrass Belem, Japanese hairgrass

FreshwaterCarpetingRunners

Dwarf hairgrass Mini (Eleocharis sp. 'Mini')
Aquarium Plants Factory · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Light
Medium light
CO2
CO₂ beneficial
Temperature
64–81°F
18–27°C
Max height
2.4 in
6 cm
Growth rate
Medium
Placement
Foreground
Type
Carpeting
pH
5.0–7.0
Hardness
2–12 dGH
Spread
2 in (5 cm)
Nutrient uptake
Root + water column
Growth region
Submersed or emersed
Difficulty
Easy
Family
Cyperaceae
Origin
Aquarium selection of Eleocharis parvula, distributed into the trade from the US hobby

Overview

Dwarf hairgrass Mini is the lowest-maintenance hairgrass carpet, an easy plant for the foreground.

Did you know

Dwarf hairgrass Mini entered the trade through a hobbyist's hands rather than a collection trip. Tropica credits its stock to Thomas Barr, the US hobbyist behind the estimative index dosing method, who passed the plant to the nursery.

Caring for dwarf hairgrass Mini

Split a pot or tissue culture cup into small tufts and plant them a few centimeters apart in fine substrate. The runners knit them together over a couple of months.

Medium light is enough. It grows without injected CO2, but CO2 plus a nutrient substrate roughly halves the fill-in time. It feeds through its roots and leaves, so root tabs and a liquid fertilizer both help. Keep the water at 64 to 81°F (18 to 27°C).

Dwarf hairgrass Mini stays short enough that it never needs the regular mowing a standard hairgrass lawn does. Siphon debris off the carpet so mulm does not settle in and feed algae. Vacuum gently near the crowns, since fresh runners pull loose easily.

Good to know

Dwarf hairgrass Mini is a spikerush in the sedge family Cyperaceae, a grass-like plant with leafless photosynthetic stems rather than a true grass. It stays roughly half the height of standard dwarf hairgrass. Shops sell it under several labels, including Eleocharis sp. 'Mini', acicularis 'Mini', pusilla 'Mini' and Eleocharis 'Belem', all for the same trade plant.

In the wild

Dwarf hairgrass Mini is a trade selection rather than a wild plant, and it circulates entirely in cultivation. Tom Barr, who supplied Tropica's original stock, rejects the Eleocharis parvula label it was sold under. Flowgrow guesses at an origin around Belém in Brazil, and its exact identity among the small hairgrasses is still argued over.

Common questions

Does dwarf hairgrass Mini need to be planted in the substrate?

Yes. Split it into small clumps and push each one into the substrate with tweezers, leaving gaps for it to fill.

Does dwarf hairgrass Mini need CO2?

No, but it helps. Dwarf hairgrass Mini can grow without injected CO2, and added CO2 makes it grow faster.

How much light does dwarf hairgrass Mini need?

Dwarf hairgrass Mini wants medium light. A light sold for planted tanks covers it.

Does dwarf hairgrass Mini need root tabs?

They help. Dwarf hairgrass Mini takes nutrients through both its roots and its leaves. Root tabs near its roots and a liquid fertilizer cover both.

How do you propagate dwarf hairgrass Mini?

Dwarf hairgrass Mini propagates by runners. New plants grow along its runners. Cut one free once it has roots and plant it.

How tall does dwarf hairgrass Mini grow?

Dwarf hairgrass Mini grows to about 2.4 in (6 cm) tall. It grows at a moderate pace.

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