My small one is accepting hikari carnivore pellets along with my tig. They also eat cut fish. With my false he has eaten from my fingers from the beginning and he likes to sit on driftwood in the current. One day I just dumped so pellets in front of his face and he ate some and I've done that many times until he ate those fully and not spitting out. With cut fish i just wait until he is enjoying current and offer from holding with fingers in front of him and it's grabbed most of the time. I don't know how tig came to eating pellets. Maybe from other fish in with him ?? Either way I'm impressed But that's my bit on my false tig and tig eating habits