Pearl Gourami "rounded belly"

[KaylNeko]

I have 1 male and 2 female Pearls sitting in quarantine. I'm trying to figure out what's up with one of my females. Looking down from the top, she is a bit wider than the other two, which isn't alarming, but she also bulges some in the belly area. I've looked whether this means she gravid and just ready to breed, but I found nothing that indicated this, and the only thing I could find was a Pearl who was seriously swollen and no one knew for sure what was up but figured it was bad. This isn't major--just a little rounded on either side.

So, with that, I'm thinking either gravid, constipated, or parasites. It's been two days now, so don't think it's because she ate too much, although it's possible she's just getting fat. They don't get that much, but my idea of "that much" and theirs may be different. I gave them some of the frozen herbivore food last night instead of flakes and a shelled pea today to see if that does anything. Any ideas? I can't get any decent pictures of it, unfortunately.

 

[Scouser]

Could you snag a pic?

It would help immensely with IDing the issues

 

[KaylNeko]

Hah! Got one...out of, like, 20+ taken. From the wrong angle or lighting, you can't see it.

Female:

Other two:

 

[ocminpin]

Are their scales always raised like that? My betta mimicked bloat but it was dropsy... :-(

 

[absolutangel04]

Is the belly evenly fat, or is one side bigger than the other?
I don't think the scales are sticking out, to me that just looks like the color pattern.

 

[KaylNeko]

That's just the color pattern--no raised scales.

It appears to be even on both sides. I know the pic doesn't show it very well. I'm telling you--that tank does not work for pictures. *lol*

 

[Hholly]

She looks like my female pearl.

 

[absolutangel04]

Yeah, she doesn't seem too chubby to me, but I am not super familiar with that species. Any behavioral oddities, or just the chubbiness?
IME, parasites usually are accompanied lethargy or sluggishness. And if she improves after the pea, then you will know if its bloat.

 

[KaylNeko]

Honestly, I'm only going by comparison to the others--she's the only one with the slight bulge. She's acting fine, half the time she instigates the "chasing" when they get started. No one's really active, but they're all more active than when I got them. The species isn't all that active as is, and I have yet to have a species of fish that's really 'active' in the QT tank. Thanks guys--appreciate it. I'll just watch her and not worry unless something else changes. ^_^