My bichirs love tilapia fellet as well. I actually use a whole tilapia fellet to make them do a death roll. Less messy than the smealt, less sticky than the prwans and shimps, and cheaper than pellets.
I currently which to fish fellet as stable foods and uses pellets twice a week. I also stop feeding my bichirs with a weather loaches as the price had gone up and I found another source that have the same content and cheaper and available anytime.