beginner ? on food

[groucheux]

Here's a silly question...how do I feed my tank? I have 2 damsels, 1 tang, 1 clownfish, 1 condi, 1 shrimp, 1 star, and a bunch of crabs and snails (and a mushroom). I've been feeding a small pinch of flake food twice a day. I bought some frozen (formula one?) food, but am confused...do I just drop it in there? Do I thaw it out? If I thaw it, should I thaw it in tank water or tap water? I bought some frozen beef heart for the condi and he seems to be doing incredibly well.
Do I need to buy live brine shrimp to feed my peppermint shrimp, or will he be ok scavenging?
thanks.....grouch

 

[dennish]

I use a 5oz dixie cup about half full with warm/hot tap water to melt my frozen brine shrimp/plus cubes, then dump some of it into each of my tanks. The fish all go crazy over it!! I only feed this about twice a week, otherwise feeding some zooplankton, flakes, or pellets.
I have heard of some who just add the frozen cube and let it melt by itself, but the fish go after it right away and it seems the cold temp might not be good for them.
I bought soom frozen 'salad shrimp' at the grocery last week and thawed one out this way before adding it for my starfish. I set him down near it with one leg almost touching it. He sensed it right away and crawled over it, sat there almost the whole day!! I was begining to get worried, but realized that was a lot for him to digest (starfish envelop their food with their stomaches, then pull the stomach back in when done). Boy did he seem happy (okay maybe I am just imagining that) after that.
-Dennis