Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I've read that feeding the nymphs different types of food can change their coloration later in life. Is this true? If so what types of food affect their color?
Are the tiger, princess and black hissing roaches all the same species just different color?

Carotenes & other organic compounds found in plants usually affect the colors of insects that feed upon these substances. Plants high in carotenoids are dark leafy-greens & algaes, as well as orange colored fruits, some cheeses,etc.

"'Are the tiger, princess and black hissing roaches all the same species just different color?'"

These roaches are different species:

Tiger hisser=Gromphadorhina grandidieri
Princess hisser=Gromphadorhina vanwaerbecki
Black hisser=morph of Gromphadorhina portentosa

Thanks! I've started breeding the black roaches. I noticed some of them have white spots on the edges of their back. I wonder if they will stay that way. Would be pretty neat to breed some white spot roaches. I'm guessing it will go away after their next molt though, they're still nymphs (only about 1.5".

One or two of the instar stages of Gromphadorhina sp. have some spots at the outer periphery of the abdomen which eventually disappear in the succeeding molts.