What To Feed Amano Shrimp

[purple_drazi]

I picked up 5 amano shrimp 6 months ago to deal with the red/black beard algae in my tank. They didn't get rid of it but they mowed (I mean that literally) down the growth on the rocks and while the algae isn't gone (the rocks still look black) at least there isn't rampant growth like there was before. So that's what they've been eating and to judge from the molting & the skittering about they do, they seem quite happy.

I had to move the tank last night and because I'm sick of the look of black rocks and algae-y plants I pitched the plants and have not replaced the rocks.

The problem is: what will the amano shrimp eat now? I understand that they'll scoop up any leftovers from the fish but I feed extremely spare-ing-ly and I can't see that the bit that the fish will leave will sustain 5 shrimp for long.
I've had these guys for 6 months now and I don't want them to starve. I've looked at shrimp web sites and there doesn't seem to be a lot of info except that they eat the leftover fish food. I don't want to start overfeeding my fish.
So what do I feed the shrimp?

I've softened a chunk of celery in the microwave for a start but I'm needing ideas.

 

[Bloo]

I really wouldn't worry about it. I feed my fish very sparingly too and only about 5 days a week at that. My amano shrimp scour every nook and cranny and even overturn all the small gravel in search of "bits".

Do you have any live plants in the tank at all ?

 

[purple_drazi]

Not anymore, all of the plants had black beard algae on them so I chucked them.

 

[ILM]

I keep most of my Amanos in their own tank (no fish) and feed them spirulina powder, fish flakes, crab pellets, defrosted bloodworms, tiny bits of cooked chicken, spinach and other green leafies, and when the daphnia tanks start making a cloud of algae I tweeze out the cloud and dump it in with the Amanos. They aren't real finicky. I've seen them snatch live whiteworms up and eat them too. If you are really worried the fish aren't leaving enough leftovers, just crush a flake or two or drop a crab pellet into some plants where the fish might not find it into the tank once or twice a week and that should be enough. There's more algae in most fish tanks than we humans can see.

 

[purple_drazi]

okey doke, I'll do that. My concern was that when I moved the tank I threw out the plants and took out the rocks that seemed to be their main food source. Since the tank was empty I took the opportunity to scrub it out as well so most of the algae would be gone.
I'll give them some of the extras.
thanks.