What to feed a new clean up crew?

[clutchcargo]

I just added the clean-up crew to my nano which consists of 2 Pistol Shrimp, 2 Cucumbers, 2 Brittle Star, 5 snails, and 20 blue-leg crabs.
This more than I expected but TSB through in a few extras. I'm worried that there won't be enough to eat for all these guys, as my tank is still immature.
So in the meantime, what do I feed them?
I don't want to see the hermits going after the snails for a quick snack.
Also, TSB through in a bubble tip anemone in the package. He's already been scurrying around the tank looking for place to hang his hat. What does this guy eat?
As usual, I anxiously await any advice.
Thanks
C

 

[Anonymous]

They will love you if you give them shrimp pellets.

 

[pathos]

20 blue leg crabs to a nano? IMO that is overkill and you will have problems later when they get bigger. in the meantime, feed them fresh and frozen shrimp, mussels, scallops, etc. from your grocery store

 

[2poor2reef]

Never mind the crabs, two cukes in a brand new nano are gonners for sure. They take a while to starve but don't let that fool you. They need bacteria in a sand bed and there isn't much in a new tank. On top of that two cukes (I assume they're mopping cukes) probably need at least a 30g tank. How big is yours? If they aren't mopping cukes then why are they part of a clean up crew?

 

[DEADFISH1]

you can feed your clean up crew just about anything, their scavengers you know, my brittle star loves the frozen Angel Formula food as do my Cleaner shrimp, you need to feed your anemone some meaty food, I feed mine pieces of shrimp that I get from the grocery store.
oh, get ready, I'm sure your going to get flamed about your anemone.

 

[yznhmr]

what is TSB?

 

[Anonymous]

I think he meant TBS...

Feed them anything

A small hunk of nori will go a long way...

 

[Goldmoon]

Then what is TBS?

 

[davelin315]

I think that the point of a cleanup crew is that you won't have to specifically feed it, they should be feeding off the excesses and wastes in your tank. To feed them defeats the purpose of getting them in the first place IMO. How big is your nano, by the way (before I go shooting my mouth off, which I am apt to do, I should get some info on your set up

)? I think the above posts all express legit concerns about size of the crew and size of the reef, but I don't think I would feed them anything other than what you're already dumping in your tank. If you feed the blue legs (which can be predatory to begin with) nothing but meat, they'll go after meat later on more than they normally would (you'll train them). If anything, I would toss in some flake food for them, but don't add chunks of food that will just get picked over slowly in your tank. Let them search for food they way they're supposed to in your tank, and if you lose some to attrition, you'll get the right mix for your tank. As far as the snails are concerned, you could lose some, but don't worry too much, blue legs are very small and can't climb up the walls of a tank (although they can climb up the seals).