Baby Peppers Blown Up Like Little Balloons

[lizard]

My "baby" Pepper Corys are in the 29-gallon tank now. They've been doing fine, until tonight. One has died. Two of the remaining three have tummys that look like little balloons. It's not just a filled-out round, like a female Cory has, but like a little bubble/balloon in their tummy. They seem to be having a little trouble staying down on the bottom of the tank - they have to work to do it, they can't just "sit" there. Sometimes they just float upside-down or sideways at the top of the tank, but when I go and "bother" them, they swim off. One is breathing very heavily, the other somewhat heavily. One of my older Corys (not adult, but certainly not baby) has a bubble tummy, too. One of my mom's Corys had a bubble tummy a few weeks ago, but was better in a few days. My guess is that this is some sort of swim bladder thing, but I don't know for sure. Other than the Neons having ich, everyone else in the tank is fine (Neons are actually in a quarantine tank now). I did a water change tonight. Temp is at 86* and there is an airstone in there (one of my Otos has decided that's a great hangout place!). I put some squished up peas in the tank tonight, hoping maybe they'll eat a little of it and that if they're constipated, it'll help 'em out.

Any ideas, thoughts, etc. welcomed. Thanks!

Even though I know they don't feel well, I can't help but laugh when they're swimming up to the top of the tank - they've got these fat little tummies and their pectoral fins sticking out of their sides...

Pamela
aka Married Lizard

 

[The-Wolf]

In the absence os raised scales, I would say they have an internal worm infestation.
As these are fry and catfish, I can offer no particular course of treatment other than an anti-parasite medication that is suitable for them.