what's wrong with my platy?

[gil_ong]

i have a 20 gallon tank with some plants.



in it are a male and a female red wag platy, 6 peppered cories (4 added today) and 8 neon tetras.

my female platy has been acting sorta weird the past few days.

she seems quite swollen (to a n00b like me), very lethargic, a little testy, and has been "hiding." i also don't think she's really eaten in the last 3 or 4 days. also, the male is staying by real close just about all the time. he might wonder off for a little, but never fro more than a minute or so. he isn't eating much either.

here're 2 pics. i snagged her and put her in a breeder box just long enough to snap these pics. sorry for the quality, all i have is a point and shoot.





i JUST tested the water:
ammonia: 0
nitrite: 0
nitrate:0 (this is weird for me. it was approx 10 when i checked 4 days ago. since then , i added the 8 neon tetras, 4 cories (today) and 2 capfuls of flourish excel for the plants.)
pH: 7.6

so..... is she sick? pregnant and ready to pop the babies out? emo? what's going on here?

[gil_ong]

oh yeah.

03-29-08 - i witnessed 2 of the platies sexoring.

so is it about time?

[trashion]

Can't help you with the platy, but you have 0 nitrate because your plants are eating it! I'd start dosing nitrate.

[gil_ong]

add nitrate? how?