Carbohydrates and lipids are the major and cheaper non-protein energy sources for fish diets. This study aimed at determining ideal relationship between dietary starch and lipids and their influence on digestive enzyme profile of juvenile dourado. Trials were set up in a closed-loop system with controlled temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH and total ammonia. Experimental extruded diets formulated to contain different starch (St) to lipids (Lip) ratio (St : Lip = 0 : 1, 0.3 : 1, 0.7 : 1, 1.0 : 1, 1.4 : 1, 2.0 : 1, 2.3 : 1 to 3.3 : 1) were fed to juvenile dourado (3.34 AE 0.16 g) and stocked into 30 polyethylene tanks (330 L, 30 fish per tank) in a completely randomized design with unbalanced repetition (n = 3 or 4), in two daily meals (1000 and 1530) until satiation, for 95 days. Dietary starch contents higher than 145.2 g kg -1 (St : Lip > 1.0 : 1.0) hampered the performance of fish, but, paradoxically, the inclusion of carbohydrates in the diet elicited better utilization of dietary protein and energy by the species. Fish adapted digestive enzyme profile to dietary starch contents through increasing secretion of alkaline proteases and non-specific lipases, but secretion of amylase was not altered. Physiological responses show the limitation of species on the use of dietary carbohydrates.