a good food to get your bichir started on pellets are the hikari carnivore pellets. I have never seen a bichir not take these, even if all they've lived off their entire lives was live food. once they start eating pellets, they'll eat anything. Mine will even swim up into my hand, provided i can keep the cichlids from getting to it first.
cost is not an issue. i do want to know if it would be easier to move it into a ten(very TEMPORARY) by himself so i can get him used to me and eating pellets easier. or is it better to leave him in the 75 amd let him learn to compete for food.
Mine were about 2 inch when I got them, and I've had them for 1 year and 1 week.
I feed mine primarily NLS thera A formula, but I also give them massivore pellets, shrimp, and canadian nightcrawlers. They aren't as thick as my wrist, but I have some pretty thick wrists. they are probably 2/3rds the thickness of my wrist.
When they were smaller, they were difficult to feed, and I had to use the night time method. But during morning and evening feedings, they will get right up there with my big cichlids, grabbing food at the same time they are.