Bloated Upside Down Catfish?

[corylover5]

I was watching my 29 gallon tank just now and noticed two of my three upside down catfish are extremely swollen. I'm not sure if they're gravid, bloated, or possibly something else? I don't know exactly how long they've been like this since my upside down cats tend to hide in a driftwood cave until I turn the tank lights off. Water parameters are 0 ammonia 0 nitrite and 5 nitrate. They're both eating and swimming normally. I've had them in this tank for over a year. They eat fluval bug bites and tetra shrimp wafers. Is this something to be concerned about? Thank you.

 

[Archerfish]

One of my five Upside Down Catfish was bloated (not that large) for several years. It swam with the others and never exhibited any illness. It was just robust and slightly lighter in color. I never figured out why. I did contact a breeder who said it could be eggs. They are difficult to breed. He told me he 'strips' the eggs. I didn't want to do that, so I just let nature take its course. The fish lived for ten-years so if it was an illness, it must have not been very serious. I still have one of the five living. They are amazing fish. One note, they are sensitive to nitrates, but your water readings are good.

 

[corylover5]

One of my five Upside Down Catfish was bloated (not that large) for several years. It swam with the others and never exhibited any illness. It was just robust and slightly lighter in color. I never figured out why. I did contact a breeder who said it could be eggs. They are difficult to breed. He told me he 'strips' the eggs. I didn't want to do that, so I just let nature take its course. The fish lived for ten-years so if it was an illness, it must have not been very serious. I still have one of the five living. They are amazing fish. One note, they are sensitive to nitrates, but your water readings are good.

Thank you!

 

[Slaphppy7]

Wow...."extremely swollen", indeed