This is what I have always done even with expensive fish ? pellets or die never took longer than a week for any fish I’ve ever hadThe starve or die method usually works pretty well for cichla, and is what I use. But if you don't want them to starve, soaking the pellets in whatever you feed them for a bit to soften up and taste a bit like whatever they are used to works as well. It's great that they are already eating some.