Betta Fish: Stealing feeding implements? Any funny things yours have done?

Ok, so long story, if you want the short version, skip to the bottom.

So I've had my little guy for a number of months now and he was a sick little thing with a chewed off tail when I got him. He was put straightaway in a 10 gallon tank, and we (family) began handfeeding him in order to get him to eat, monitor his weight (he was emaciated and you could see bones), and get him some exercise. We started pretty early on feeding frozen food at night, which we crush up, soak in his tank water to thaw, and then feed from the end of a soft plastic pipette with a tiny tip. Anyway, fast forward and his tail has grown back, little guy has some muscle mass, can jump fairly high for a long fin, and judges what you throw in the trash (he can see the kitchen trash from his tank). He thinks he's king of the house and all the humans exist to serve his majesty.

Now that you have some background, onto the story. We've had some crazy weeks recently and he has had some early breakfasts and late dinners. Ralis does not like this. Dinner is 5:30. Sharp. Or so I believe he feels. Anyway, a few weeks ago I didn't get to feeding him until around 8:40. I was tired, so not paying much attention as I removed water from his tank with the pipette for his food. Suddenly, the pipette was no longer in my hand and was, instead, moving at a rapid pace around the tank bobbing at the top of the water. Ralis had stolen it and was tryng to drag it down. Now a little more awake I had to chase him around the tank to get it back and when I did, and pulled it out of the water, he wouldn't let go. He came up out of the water WITH IT. I had to give it a very gentle little shake to get him to release it. Anyway, right after that the circling began and as soon as I put the brine shrimp loaded pipette in the water to release them he rushed the pipette and bit it above the shrimp clump, forcing them all out of the pipette and then vacuuming them up like a little fishy hoover before I could get them back. (I usually load the pipette with more than I plan to feed, feed one at a time, and stop when he's had enough). Needless to say he was swimming around fasting for a day because he looked like he had swallowed a basketball.

Anyway, life is still crazy, but I had been told he had stopped stealing the feeding implements and food, so I figured all was well.

Then I was late.

Again.

Cue the circling like a little shark with his dorsal fin sticking out of the water when I brought his food over.

Cue the rushing at the pipette.

This time I was ready.

I took water from various sides of the tank and removed the pipette as soon as he reached it. If someone had seen me they probably would have thought I was crazy as I was quickly darting from one side of the tank to the other trying to get enough water to thaw his mysis.

During feeding I was actively trying to keep the dropper out of the water, but in spite of my efforts he tried to steal it twice and managed to pull part of the pipette under once.

Anyone else experienced this? Any funny stories of your own regarding these ungrateful little gremlins?

Tldr: My fish is a little aquatic gremlin who has stolen his feeding pipette once, and is now attempting to do it again. Have you experienced this or have any funny stories of your own?

Picture is of the little criminal, this is his favorite way to look at us.