In intensive aquaculture, the choice of diet in initial feeding stage have important effects on growth and survival in fish larvae, even all the whole life history. The aim of this study was to find out a kind of diet, which is more suitable for development and survival of Polyodon spathala larvae during initial feeding stage. A total of six different diets, known as unenriched artemia nauplii group, enriched artemia nauplii with yolk group, enriched artemia nauplii with fish oil group, unenriched copepodid larva group, enriched copepodid larva with yolk group and enriched copepodid larva with yolk group, were fed to paddlefish Polyodon spathala larvae in initial feeding for 14 days. The growth and survival of Polyodon spathala larvae were monitored and recorded, then the effects of six different diet groups on digestive enzymes activity were analyzed. The results indicated that all four statistical index, such as final weight, final length, daily weight gain (DWG) and survival rate (SR), were significantly higher in the three groups fed with copepodid larva than other three groups fed with artemia nauplii in Tab. 1 (P＜0.05). Impressively, SR was less than 50% in enriched artemia nauplii with fish oil group, but more than 86% in unenriched copepodid larva group in Tab. 1. Though growth pattern equations of six diet groups all fitted well, the weight and length growth curves revealed Polyodon spathala larvae grew quickly after 8 d in copepodid larva groups, but all three artemia nauplii groups always were significantly slow in Fig. 1-3. Pepsin activity in unenriched copepodid larva group was higher than other five groups in Fig. 4 (P＜0.05). In addition, the effects of six diets on amylase activity were not significantly different in Fig. 6 (P＞0.05). Collectively, Polyodon spathala larvae fed with unenriched copepodid larva grouphad significantly high survival rate, and that of enriched copepodid larva with yolk group grew quickly. Therefore, above evidences suggested copepodid larva diet is much better choice than artemia nauplii diet for Polyodon spathala larvae during initial feeding stage.