Hello. I have a feeder goldfish that someone gave to me because they didn't want to take care of him. I love him. He was tiny and I put him in a 3 gallon filtered tank with 1/3 water changes twice weekly. He was lively and would beg for food every time I came into the room. Very attention seeking with his splashing and "look at me" when I was in the room. So I overfed him and he grew like a weed.

He has grown to about 2.5 inches. So I bought him an 8 gallon tank. At first he laid on the bottom. I suspected new tank syndrome and did daily water changes and fed him sparingly at first. We are now 3 weeks in and I do more frequent water changes and he looks healthy and still likes to eat.

But his personality has changed. He eats when fed (two feedings a day) and is lively when food is supplied but no longer begs for food or acts like he is starving for food or attention. He appeared more lively and happier in the smaller tank.

Any advice? I could get him a bigger tank still or build him a small filtered pond in the spring. I am very good at building ponds but even with fencing there is always the risk he will be eaten by something. I am in zone 6b so he would need to suffer through the winter. I am used to pond Koi and Goldfish and am kind of at a loss with this little guy being in an aquarium.

Thanks!