pistol or mantis?

[Blindmelonbob]

I've been spying on my "pistol" from underneath the tank...he's cleaned all the way down to the glass from under a large rock. He's eating a small snail, and I hear the 'pops' usually one or two in a few seconds. I'm wondering if I might have a mantis instead. He's brownish in color. One claw is quite a bit larger than the other. Does this sound like a pistol or mantis? Do pistols eat snails? Thanks in advance.

 

[DensityMan]

Doesn't sound like a mantis from your physical description of it. Pistol shrimp do (or so I have read) use their 'snapping' claw to stun prey in the wild. I would assume that small snails and or crabs would be considered prey for these guys...

 

[Blindmelonbob]

Okay, thanks for the vote of confidence. The number of popping sounds was making me curious. I guess my pistol has an itchy trigger finger. I've also seen some much more colorful pistols out there, so the brown variety I've got had me concerned. But as long as bigger snails or small fish don't start disappearing, I'll leave him be.