using other fish to pellet train datnoids

I think I read somewhere that if you have fast eating surface feeders in the tank that the datnoid slowly learns to follow their example and surface feed.
if this is true what species would you recommend? i'm thinking some kind of barb or other characin that won't bother the datnoid?

Right now in grow out the Dat is housed with bichirs and an irwini catfish. so nobody feeds openly from the surface

Thanks for the advice
Rafini

and the oscar wouldn't bother my bichirs or dat? I'd have to get a very small one, around the same size as the dat.
Can I add if the oscar outgrows them then he can go into my 225 with my other oscar, flagtail and pink tailed chalceus, all are around 4-5" I don't have any adult fish yet


I can't blame my dat for not feeding from pellets if he can't see any other fish taking them

yeah but I don't want the managuense to destroy my other tankmates, I'm going for more of a large peaceful predator community. oscars are usually very peaceful and I'd rather avoid an aggressive species like parachromis (as cool as they are)
I do have a soft spot for oscars though, any other suggestions?

I'd like to thank you all for the fast responses too

I'm worried that the oscar won't let any food get down to my Bichirs, although I'm thinking that any surface feeding fish will be greedy like this. Any suggestions for hiding the food for the bichirs?
I was thinking to feed them at night or physically stick my hand in and put the food onto the gravel