Hissers coloration and Food

[RaZias]

I have read somewhere that the coloration of Hissers (of the same species) is not genetic, it´s connected with the food.

I think I have also read that a hisser can be more darker or more brown depending on what it eats.

Is this true ?

If so, what food can make him more brown ?

[PlantMan]

Yes, It's directly related to diet, though genetics does play a small part. I've experimented in the past with this subject. I had a control colony of roughly 40-60 individuals, (mostly young nymphs) fed a diet of only dry cat food. In the other colony of roughly the same population, they were fed dry dog food with bright-colored fruits. I.e. oranges and red apples. When the control population came to be mostly adults, the group color was sort of a dark brown. And in the other tank the adult colorations were all eye-catching oranges and dark reds. Exactly how the color of food represents itself through the final color scheme of an adult cockroach, I haven't the slightest idea.

What food can make him more brown ?

Perhaps less fruit/veggies and more brown-ish pet food would accomplish this? Some individuals from both tanks had vaired colors, so diet isn't 100% influential, I guess.

[Keith]

Has anyone tried seeing if substrate determines color? Natural dark decor versus bright artificial decor.

[Nicolas Rousseaux]

Has anyone tried seeing if substrate determines color? Natural dark decor versus bright artificial decor.

in this case, beware of having things they won't eat. Roaches always eat substrate, in this case, you're not testing the environement, but the food once again. A plastic environement would be the easier to test, but it's hard to keep molding properly in this kind of tank :/

[PlantMan]

Eating the substrate itself never occured to me, but I have noticed them snacking on the dry moss I use. When my colony gets bigger I'll have to test that.