My Betta hates the filter?

[Quills]

My Betta has learned how to sabotage the filter. And I can't get him to stop.
I have http://www.petsmart.com/product/inde...ductId=4239991 for a filter.
As you see in the picture, the water is being sucked up from the bottom, and these holes are perfect size for pellets to get stuck there.
So whenever I try to feed my Betta, he would take the pellet, get close to the filter's intake, and throw up the food. For example today in the morning I fed him 10 pellets (I know it is a lot but), and he ended up eating only 4 and the 6 pellets he threw up and tried to break the filter. He has been doing this for the past 3 days, and he is succeeding at blocking the filter. At first I though that it was a fluke, but he seems to know what he is doing.
I had to clean it today. Any ideas how I can stop him doing that, or why he would do that in the first place?

[babystarz]

My guess is the current is bothering him. Bettas are slow swimmers, and heavy filter current stresses them out. I would suggest switching to a sponge filter (like this kind: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Bio-Sponge-F...item3a7cdb83e0)

You'll also need an adjustable air pump and tubing. These filters are ideal for bettas because they don't create a current and there is no way for them to suck in or damage fins. Also they're very easy to maintain, you just squeeze them out a few times in old tank water once a month.

[Armyguy03]

I have to say that although this is annoying, for something with such a tiny brain this "is" quite clever. I have to applaud your Betta.

[Quills]

Well the thing is, he was perfectly fine with the filter, and this one is quite nice because it does not create much current. The problem was that he had his nest made right in between the heater and the sunken ship. It was located all the way in the far back corner of the fish tank and was secluded. I didn't want him to keep on hiding there because it was always a hassle for me to look at him, so I decided to move the filter where his nest is, hoping that he would relocate somewhere more visible.
As soon as I did that he started finding ways to get rid of it, and now he has learned that food will work. Quite clever for Betta, but I have seen him do a lot of things to have things his way. He is very stubborn and if he does not like what I did with the fish tank, he will always let me know by trying to move/break/clog/attack whatever he dislikes until I give in.
So just a suggestion out of curiosity though. Should I move the filter, or should I try to get him to renest? Also do you think he will eventually give up trying to clog up the filter? I just don't like where his nest is, it's way too hidden.

[logisticsguy]

I second the idea of using sponge filters. They work very well in all my tanks and less than 10g are ideal for the small bio sponge filters. They support a load of bb and are so easy to keep clean. I was skeptical at first but they are terrific alternative. My HOBs were always breaking down so i only use them on large tanks now with the help of a sponge filter as well.