Chapter 7: Ornamental Fish, Earthworms, and Bees

A high-quality koi fish is often subjected to five rounds of selection. The first round usually takes place one month after the fry are born, during which all fry with poor appearance and color are eliminated, leaving only about 10%.

The selected koi after five choices is naturally one in a hundred thousand, and those with good fortune can sell for prices ranging from several hundred thousand to over a million

After searching online for a long time and gathering information from various sources, Ye Quan finally selected an ornamental fish breeding base within the jurisdiction of Jiangning City. After reaching a preliminary agreement through a phone conversation, Ye Quan set out alone early the next morning.

Subsequently, Ye Quan purchased several hundred pounds of fish feed and six floating net cages, which were delivered to his door by the breeding base

The activities of earthworms can also improve the soil, accelerate the decomposition of organic matter in the soil, and restore and maintain the ecological balance of the soil. There are many benefits of earthworms to humanity.

Ye Quan was inspired by bees and thought of earthworms. Although the soil in the space is currently very loose, it will inevitably become compacted over time with high-density planting, and the fertility will decline. Using the spatial system to loosen the soil would consume too much energy value, so it is better to take precautions and introduce some earthworms into the space.

Ye Quan spent two days completing the second selection of the koi fry. He placed the koi with good appearance into the last empty net box, while those with less desirable appearance were directly placed into the pond. The final elimination rate exceeded 80%, leaving approximately 1,700 koi in the net box. Once these koi reach over one year of age and their colors and patterns are stabilized, they can be sold according to their grade

The beekeeping farm and the earthworm farm are both located far from the urban village. Upon learning that bees and earthworms could be delivered to his doorstep by a courier service, Ye Quan immediately made contact and ordered a beehive with ten bee frames and twenty thousand earthworms, spending over two thousand yuan and over four hundred yuan respectively

At this moment in the space, not only have the three acres of watermelons bloomed with yellow flowers, but even the fruit trees that were just planted less than a month ago have also blossomed, with more than half of them displaying flowers and buds of various colors. There are pink ones, as well as pure white ones. Although each tree has only about ten or dozens of flowers, appearing scattered, the mountain has finally gained some vitality. Even the air in the space carries a faint fragrance, and the concentration of spiritual energy has risen to 43%.

It took Ye Quan a full three days to finish cultivating just six acres of land, which made him resolute in his decision to plant fewer varieties that require excessive manual labor in the future

Additionally, the body of earthworms contains a large amount of protein and fat, making it highly nutritious. It serves as an excellent source of protein feed and food, suitable for raising animals such as chickens, ducks, and fish

Selection generally takes place when the koi reach a length of 10 to 15 centimeters. The koi retained after this selection can be described as "one in ten thousand," as only the finest specimens are kept for further cultivation

Subsequently, Ye Quan purchased several tens of thousands of thin bamboo poles to construct triangular frames for three acres of cucumbers and A-frame supports for three acres of tomatoes, binding them with iron wire and guiding the seedlings onto the structures

Place the splash net box into the pond, and then introduce the seedlings of five different ornamental fish into each of the compartments, leaving one compartment empty for future selection of seedlings. Although there are no specialized equipment, the pond water in the space comes from the core spring of the space, which is extraordinary. As soon as these seedlings enter the pond, they clearly swim more joyfully, showing no signs of discomfort.

Selection is typically conducted when the small fish reach 45 days of age and a length of 5 centimeters, with a culling rate as high as 90%

You requested koi fry with better quality, and we have already prepared them. All the fry have undergone a selection process, with more than 90% being eliminated, resulting in exactly 10,000 tails.

When small flowers appeared on the watermelon vines, Ye Quan remembered that pollination needed to be carried out. However, there were no bees, no butterflies, and not even a breeze in the space. Conducting artificial pollination would be too labor-intensive. Of course, it was also possible to use the spatial system for pollination, but this would require the consumption of spiritual energy. Not to mention that there were only a pitiful two points available now; even if there were two hundred points, Ye Quan would be reluctant to spend them.

A healthy earthworm can turn over 20 to 40 tons of soil in an acre each year, making it a free helper for farmers.

After finding a webpage for an earthworm breeding base online, Ye Quan chose a variety specifically used for producing manure fertilizer— the white-stemmed ringed earthworm. This type of earthworm measures 80 to 150 millimeters in length, with a medium gray or chestnut-colored back, a light green rear, and a hairless belly. It is highly effective for both soil loosening and manure fertilizer production.

The scale of this ornamental fish breeding base is indeed considerable. The staff member who received us is surnamed Zong, in his forties, and he introduced the situation of the breeding base: "Mr. Ye, our breeding base has been established for fourteen years, and we sell over ten billion fish fry each year, exporting to countries in Europe and America. The varieties include world-renowned ornamental fish such as koi, goldfish, flowerhorn cichlids, guppies, angelfish, bettas, tangs, kissing gouramis, starry night cichlids, and macaw parrotfish"

The only option is to raise a colony of bees in the space, as the climate in this area is unique, with a flowering season all year round. Moreover, the mountains are now filled with fruit trees, ensuring an abundant source of nectar.

The variety of bees is the native bee, scientifically known as Apis cerana, which is a unique honeybee species indigenous to China. Compared to foreign bee species such as the Italian bee, it possesses unparalleled advantages, including the ability to utilize sporadic nectar sources, strong foraging capability, high utilization rate, long honey-gathering period, adaptability, strong resistance to mites and diseases, and low feed consumption. This species is distributed throughout China, except for Xinjiang.

The bee and twenty thousand earthworms were quickly shipped over by the courier company. Ye Quan scattered the earthworms across the vegetable field and then brought the beehive into the space.

Ye Quan searched online for the nearest beekeeping farm and inquired about the price of purchasing bees. The other party explained that there are three specifications of bee boxes: those with four frames, eight frames, and ten frames. The price of bees varies throughout the year; generally, they are most expensive in spring when there are flowering sources and cheapest in autumn when there are no flowering sources

The ten thousand koi raised in the net cage have been born for less than forty days, yet they have already grown to five to six centimeters. This demonstrates that the space not only significantly accelerates the growth of plants but also has a similar effect on animals

Originally, Ye Quan selected fruit tree seedlings of moderate specifications, which would take at least until the second year to bloom, and it would be considered good if they bore fruit in the third year. Unlike the spiritual energy space, where blooming and fruiting can occur at any time, regardless of the season.

Earthworms move through the soil, which can improve the organic structure of the soil. The movement and excrement of earthworms are highly beneficial for enhancing soil quality, as they help maintain good aeration and keep the soil in a healthy state, playing an important role in agriculture

In summary, the uses of earthworms are extremely diverse, and in recent years, there have been many individuals who have achieved significant profits through earthworm farming

Having found the source of flowers, the scouting bees hurried back to the hive and performed the "8" figure dance. Soon after, a large swarm was mobilized, producing a buzzing sound. The once silent space finally became lively due to the presence of these little spirits

Earthworms are omnivorous animals; they consume everything except for glass, plastic, metal, and rubber. They feed on organic matter, animal feces, soil bacteria, and the decomposition products of these substances.

Zonggui led Ye Quan to a water tank, which was densely filled with 10,000 koi fry. Ye Quan crouched down to examine them closely and noticed that the fry in the water had grown to over 3 centimeters, swimming vigorously and energetically. Moreover, there were no fry that were entirely red, entirely white, entirely yellow, or had imbalanced patterns or asymmetrical bodies. Upon seeing this, Ye Quan couldn't help but nod in satisfaction

When the young koi are 60 to 70 days old and measure 7 to 10 centimeters in length, they can begin to be selected. Koi of average quality can be sold as commercial fish in the flower and bird market, with prices generally ranging from 10 to 100 yuan

The lotus seeds purchased online from Taobao have also arrived. Ye Quan used pliers to break the tip of the seeds, then soaked them in water, initially using a shallow dish to germinate. The water was changed every one or two days. After several days, the seeds swelled and sprouted, and then they were transplanted into a shallow pond. Once floating leaves had grown, they were planted into the pond.

Where is the koi fry that I wanted

After selecting the koi, Ye Quan also purchased 1,000 guppy fry, 1,000 flower horn fry, and 500 peacock guppy fry. Originally, he had planned to buy arowana, but due to the difficulty and lengthy time required for breeding, and considering that the base had just started the breeding process, as well as the high prices, Ye Quan decided to only buy 20 medium-sized fish fry.

After Ye Quan opened the beehive, dozens of bees flew out, first circling around the hive, and it was easy for them to spot the nearby fruit orchard and watermelon field.