Force feeding or live feeding a starving cichlid?

[BIG-G]

I’ve had moderate success with garlic.
They’re are some different things with garlic flavor/sent on the market.
I just buy fresh garlic, peel and crush mixed with various foods you want to try like shrimp cut fish and pellets place in a container or bag over night in the refrigerator.

 

[Poseidon2.0]

A bit of an update. I have tried most everything suggested with limited success. She did inject a couple of earthworms chewed them a little then spat them out. The black neon tetras I put in with her are swimming around and remain in tact. I have some larger gold tetras I will try.

I did soak food overnight in minced garlic but that remained mostly untouched. I will keep trying. If anyone has a specific recipe for mixing garlic and other fish foods I’d be happy for it. It just kind of falls apart when I add it to her tank and she showed only moderate interest.