Guess I was lucky when I first got mine it took to eating flake right away. Once he got a little bigger he ate pellets. Occasionally I would but him ghost shrimp as a treat and to let him do a little hunting. I've had him a little more than six years now and he's gotten a little pickier. He gets floating cichlid pellet, sinking shrimp pellets and frozen bloodworms. Sometimes he grabs a pellet then spits it out. Just keep offering the pellets and cut back on the worms. He won't starve himself. It's just frustrating, I know.