"Pick and spit", "pellet rejection", very common with our native BG, not so much the hybrids. I have watched a single BG take in and spit out the same pellet multiple times. Sometimes they get it down eventually, while other times they give up and move to another pellet. Also see larger, (8-9") fish do the same. They do clean up the feed completely, but not on the first feeding wave.
Hydrating it first really helps reduce pellet rejection in my experience, would love to see a softer pellet somehow.
