| Summary: | Freshwater fish larviculture techniques still have deficiencies in cultivation and feeding. In this study, we evaluated experimentally different cultivation and feeding systems in the <i>Brycon amazonicus</i> (matrinxã) larviculture. Seven treatments with different live foods were used: T1 = a semi-intensive mesocosm system with green water; T2 = a clear water system containing <i>Artemia</i> sp. as food; T3 = a clear water system containing <i>Dendrocephalus brasiliensis</i> as food; T4 = a clear water system containing a combination of <i>Artemia</i> sp. and <i>D. brasiliensis</i> as food (a proportion of 1:1); T5, T6 and T7 were the same as T2, T3 and T4, respectively, but with a swimming exercise system. During the experiment, the water quality parameters were measured and maintained suitably for the cultures. The highest values of final weight (42.97 ± 2.58 mg) and specific growth rate (31.77 ± 0.60%) were observed in T5 (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Regarding the nutritional composition, the larvae of <i>B. amazonicus</i> that were fed nauplii of <i>D. brasiliensis</i> had a better profile of amino acids and essential fatty acids than those fed other live foods. Therefore, nauplii of <i>D. brasiliensis</i> can be used as an adequately nutritional food for larvae of <i>B. amazonicus</i>.
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