I used the back of a spoon to crush some pellets for my tiny clowns. It was actually a rather satisfying sensation to crush down on those pellets. My little clowns seemed to appreciate the effort. I'm worried because they don't seem to eat much, and I'd heard clowns are voracious eaters. Lots of times they spit out what they do taste. Maybe as they settle in more.... I just hope they don't starve in the meantime.
Sounds like I'll avoid peppermint shrimps and look for blood reds when I'm ready for more shrimps. Thanks to everyone for your helpful responses!