Swordtails appear bloated :(

twoinchina

I have 2 male red swordtails. They seem fine, swimming around, very active when it comes to feeding, but I suddenly noticed that their bellies seem bloated. As if they were pregnant or something. (Both are definitely males.)

The bloating seems even on both sides and could even be considered normal looking, nothing odd, but my fish seemed much... slimmer before.

I just added an activated carbon insert to my filter a couple of hours ago and those white absorbing ceramic cylinders (not sure what they are called).

All was carefully rinsed before being added. The old filter mediums are still in it, so I hope bacteria within didnt suffer.

About 10 mins before dealing with the filter I fed the fish live blood worms. I fed them the worms before on multiple occasions and they loved them. This time was no exception.

Whatever the cause, what can be done against bloating?

Help please.

twoinchina

the swordtails are still looking bloated and still behaving as if everything was allright...

several hours have passed

Amphitrite

Could be that the fish are constipated. Try feeding shelled peas and see if that helps.

What are your readings for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate ?

lioness501

i totally agree with kate,it sounds like constipation! my female sword is such a pig, every feeding time she bloats out like a balloon, but it doesnt last long!!!

musho3210

have your fished pooped lately, sometimes when one of my fish takes the food from my other fish she is very fat but after a while, there will be poop comming out and she goes back to normal looking.

twoinchina

the swordtails are still enjoying themselves :):):)

the bloating seems to have gone down

I've seen fecies on them so it must be ok

question regarding constipation: if green peas are not available (in my case they aren't just now) or fish won't eat them, what other remedies are there for constipation?