cichlids wont eat pellets?

It would help to know types of cichlids, If you send me a comment i'll try to refine my answer. However, depending on the species and what they were raised on, some do not like pellets. I have a tank raised female Flowerhorn who only recently has started to nibble at very small pellets, although she loves blackworms and flakes. This is atypical, but it happens.Frozen blood worms will not reduce a healthy fish's color. Try a good quality pellet, or a flake food. There are salmon based flakes that some fish like better because of the smell (Hikiari Carinsticks). There are also pellets that almost no fish like, like Wardley's Shrimp Pellets. Check the crude protein on your pellet and match it to your fish's food preference. Some cichlids are total carnivores and like Crude Protein of at least 45% like Tetra Jumbo Sticks. Others are less carnivorous and do better on a 34% protein pellets like Spectrum's Float. I have a lot of tanks and fish, and eventually I know which ones like which brand of food. Cheap or chain store brand pellets are less likely to be eaten by fish that like fresh or frozen food, but you can can convert them with a quality pellet the right size for them.