Question on Bio wheel filters for 5 gallon hex tank

[goose]

I have a 5 gallon Hex tank that uses the biowheel method of filtering for my single betta fish....I have had it for about 2 days and yesterday I noticed it not "silent" anymore like it was the first day that I had it.

You can now hear the water going through it..almost like a mini splashing noise and get this....it looks like a mini bubble making machine! Not huge bubbles but small ones that cover almost a 1/4 of the tank overnight...if I take the wheel out I can see the bubbles right in the pleats...is this a common issue with the biowheel? I've read some other threads where some folks have taken the biowheel right out.....seems to run quieter without it...

Ever since my betta has gone into the tank he swims around like zipping and darting up and down etc...if I turn off the filter he seems to chill a bit...he is eating......it's is almost like he enjoys swimmng against the current which seems to be pretty stout at the surface....I think the whole new tank may be strassing him a bit though as the color under his gills has faded a bit

Would he better off going to a 5.5 gallon square tank with a aqua 20 or something like that?

Anyhoo....any suggestions on the bubbles from the biowheel?

 

[MSU Fan]

I am not sure if this is the case, but male bettas make what's called a "bubble nest" in their tanks, which is a grouping of little bubbles.

As for the bio-wheel, if this tank is established (which it doesn't sound like), then you can easily remove the biowheel. Has your tank cycled yet?

 

[goose]

No...not cycled..I'm one of the noobs who didn't know about cycling before I put everything together

It is not the bubblenest...the bubbles are coming directly out of the exit for the biowheel...

I raised the water level a bit but doesn't seem to help...I think the filter current is stressing him out a bit as he hangs around the heater in the tank pretty much swimming from top to bottom