• Scientific name: Eleocharis acicularis
• Synonym: Heleocharis acicularis, Scirpus acicularis, Scirpus chaeta, Scirpus exigua, Scirpus radicans, Eleocharis radicans, Eleogiton exigua, Limnochloa acicularis
• Common name: Dwarf Hairgrass
• Family: Cyperaceae
• Group: Aquarium plants
• Max height: 20 cm, but usually smaller in aquarium.
• Distribution: Worldwide
• Habitat: Grows on the banks and edges of marshes, ponds and rivers, preferably in moderately nutritious, sand, gravel and clay soils deficient in lime. In Asia often found in rice paddies.
• Substrate: Some clay
• Placement in aquarium: Foreground, midground
• Planting density: 1 plant for 20 cm²
• Lighting needs: Bright
• Temperature: 15-25 °C
• pH: 5-8
• Hardness: 9-13 NK°

Description: Eleocharis acicularis is a grasslike plant. The leaves are hairlike and are rich green in well-nourished plants. The plant’s height is dependig on light conditions: brighter lighting will produce a shorter plant. Dwarf Hairgrass is a carpet-forming plant suitable for foreground planting in both heated and unheated aquariums. It produces numerous runners and soon forms a thick turf. Some clay incorporated into the substrate and additional carbon-dioxide will encourage sturdy growth in the aquarium. Propagation is done through runners, dense plants can be separated and replanted, which will encourage new growth. This species is excellently suited for planting in aquariums utilized for breeding. It is a hardy plant which may also be used on the edges of ponds, flowering in such places from June to October in shallow water. The tiny flowers are less than five millimeters in diameter and are borne at the tip of each stem.