A month had passed since Rian started his gourami farming experiment at the back of the farm.
At first, he hadn't expected much. The fish were ordinary gourami fingerlings, and the feed was regular commercial pellets. Rian deliberately used ordinary supplies because he wanted to see exactly how much of an effect his magical liquid would have without introducing too many other factors.
That morning, Rian walked toward the pond with Arman. From a distance, the surface of the water looked calm, although every now and then a few fish would rise to the surface before disappearing again.
Arman carried a small bucket of feed while Rian watched the pond with curiosity.
“How are they doing?”
Arman turned toward him with a smile.
“Pretty good, Boss. I’d say they’re growing quite well.”
“Quite well?”
Rian stepped closer to the edge of the pond.
“Tell me more.”
Arman took out a small fishing net he had prepared earlier. He lowered it into the pond and caught one of the gourami. The fish was noticeably larger than what an ordinary fish would normally be after only a month.
As soon as the fish was lifted out, Rian fell silent.
“This is only after one month?”
“Yes, Boss.”
Arman placed the fish into a container filled with water.
Rian crouched down and examined it closely. The fish was already much larger than he had expected. Its scales looked healthy, its body was thick and well-filled, and it was still moving actively.
“How much does it weigh?”
“Last time we checked, it was almost two kilograms.”
Rian immediately looked up.
“Two kilograms?”
Arman nodded.
“Yep.”
Rian looked at the fish again, then at the pond, and then back at the fish as if hoping there had been some mistake in the measurement.
Only one month.
He had expected the magical liquid to have a strong effect, but growth this fast still surprised him.
“If they’re already this big after one month…” Rian rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “What do you think they'll look like if we wait another three months?”
Arman thought about it as well.
“If they keep growing at this rate, they could get a lot bigger, Boss.”
Rian’s eyes immediately lit up.
“Then don’t harvest them yet.”
“They’re not ready for harvest anyway, Boss.”
“That’s not what I mean.”
Rian grinned.
“If they’re already two kilograms now, I want to see what happens if we leave them for another three months.”
He imagined what the gourami might look like several months from now. If their growth continued at the same rate, it wasn't impossible that they would reach a size far beyond the usual market standard.
To Rian, they weren't just fish.
They were a new business opportunity.
If the results turned out the way he hoped, these gourami could become another premium product from his farm.
But then Arman raised one hand slightly.
“Boss, there’s one thing.”
“What?”
“Since they’re already this big, we actually don’t need to keep feeding them pellets all the time.”
Rian frowned.
“Why?”
“Gourami can eat additional plant-based food. Once they reach this size, we can give them chopped taro leaves. A lot of fish farmers use leaves as supplemental feed.”
Rian looked at the pond again.
“Taro leaves?”
“Yes, Boss. We chop them into small pieces so the fish can eat them easily.”
Rian slowly nodded.
The information itself was simple, but it immediately got his mind working.
If the fish could get part of their food from taro leaves, they could reduce their pellet consumption. And if the number of fish increased later, the savings on feed could become quite significant.
“Then let’s plant taro.”
Arman looked slightly surprised.
“Now, Boss?”
“Now.”
Rian stood up and brushed off his pants.
“Plant enough around the pond to cover our needs. We don’t need too much at first, but I want enough growing there so we won’t have to keep buying leaves later.”
Arman nodded.
“Alright, Boss.”
Rian then called one of the workers who happened to be passing by.
“Hey, get a few people. We’re going to plant taro around the pond.”
The worker stopped and nodded.
“Sure, Boss.”
“Find some good seedlings. Don’t just grab whatever you find. If possible, pick varieties that grow quickly and have healthy leaves.”
“Got it.”
After the worker left, Rian turned his attention back to the pond.
He began imagining the area around it covered with rows of taro plants. The leaves could be harvested regularly, chopped up, and used as supplemental food for the gourami.
Of course, they couldn't use them yet.
Taro wasn't going to grow overnight.
Rian turned toward Arman.
“Until the taro grows, keep using the current feed.”
“Regular pellets?”
“Yep. Don't change anything yet.”
Arman nodded.
“Understood.”
Rian then pointed toward the pond.
“And keep recording everything. The amount of feed, water condition, fish behavior, average weight, everything.”
“Got it.”
“I want to know whether their growth is actually stable or if they're just growing unusually fast at the beginning.”
Arman smiled.
“I’m curious about that too, Boss.”
Rian chuckled.
“If they turn into monsters three months from now, don't be surprised.”
Arman laughed as well.
“If they get that big, I’m the one who's going to be scared.”
“Scared of what?”
“I’m afraid the fish might eat me.”
Rian stared at him for a few seconds before bursting out laughing.
“A two-kilogram gourami can't eat you.”
“What if they reach fifteen kilograms?”
Rian gave him a sideways glance.
“Then don't go swimming in the pond.”
Arman immediately nodded with a serious expression.
“Understood, Boss. I’ll keep my distance from the future.”
Rian could only shake his head with a smile.
After that, they continued observing the pond for a while. The workers began preparing the soil around the pond for the taro seedlings, while Arman went back to recording the fish's condition.
Rian remained standing at the edge of the pond.
One month.
Two kilograms.
And another three months to go.
He had no idea how big the gourami would become by then.
But that uncertainty was exactly what made him even more curious.
If the results turned out as expected, his farm might not only become known for premium vegetables.
They might have another product.
Premium gourami that could reach a size Rian had never even imagined.
Rian smiled faintly.
“Interesting.”
Jojo, who had been sleeping under a tree near the pond, opened one eye.
“What’s interesting?”
Rian turned toward him.
“The fish.”
Jojo immediately stood up.
“If we’re talking about fish, I’m interested too.”
Rian sighed.
“Of course you are.”
Jojo walked closer while staring intently at the pond.
“Two kilos?”
“Yep.”
Jojo swallowed.
“If they get even bigger in three months, how much do I get?”
Rian stared at him flatly.
“Not sure I’ll give you any.”
Jojo immediately sat down.
“Then I’m not interested.”
“You just said you were interested.”
“I’m only interested if I get a share.”
Rian chuckled.
Meanwhile, along the edge of the pond, the first taro seedlings were being planted one by one.
For now, the gourami would continue eating their regular pellets.
But over the next few weeks, once the taro leaves began growing thick and healthy, Rian already had a new plan to reduce feed costs while providing the fish with a more natural supplemental food source.
And without anyone realizing it, the small experiment Rian had started simply to test the power of his magical liquid was slowly turning into something much bigger.
A gourami farming business that might eventually become one of the farm’s biggest sources of profit.