To identify a suitable diet for the cultivation of Daphnia carinata, an experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of different diets on the growth, reproduction, and population dynamics of D. carinata. Corn powder, yeast, Chlorella sp., Schizochytrium sp., Chlorococcum sp., and Nannochloropsis oculata were used as dietary sources. The nutritional composition of each diet, culture water quality, and bacterium count were also assessed. The results showed that the survival rate of D. carinata was highest when fed Chlorococcum sp. The Chlorococcum sp. and N. oculate groups had significantly higher first offspring times (4.0 d) compared to other groups, with the highest offspring number per female found in the Chlorococcum sp. group (375.2 ind). Conversely, the survival rate of offspring was significantly lower in the corn powder group than in the other groups. D. carinata treated with Chlorococcum sp. exhibited the highest net reproductive rate (R₀ , 293.3), and the mean generation time of D. carinata in the Chlorella sp. group (5.0 d) was significantly lower than that in other groups. Although there was no significant difference in intrinsic growth rate r_m and finite growth rate λ among the Chlorella sp., Chlorococcum sp., and N. oculate groups, all of them were significantly higher than those in the other groups. Correlation analysis between diet nutrition compositions and the growth, reproduction, and population dynamics of D. carinata showed that dietary protein content was significantly negatively correlated with time for first offspring but positively correlated with intrinsic growth rate, finite growth rate, net reproduction rate, and reproductive capacity. The dietary carbohydrate content was positively correlated with the time of first maturity. The dietary arachidonic acid (ARA, C20∶4n-6) content was significantly positively correlated with reproductive capacity, survival rate, and net reproductive rate. The dietary linoleic acid (C18∶2n-6) content was positively correlated with the time of first maturity but negatively correlated with the survival rate. The dietary oleic acid (C18∶1) content was extremely negatively correlated with the survival rate of D. carinata. In conclusion, the protein content, carbohydrate content, and fatty acid composition of the diet were the key factors affecting the culture effect of D. carinata. Among the six diets, Chlorococcum sp. was found to be more suitable for the cultivation of D. carinata.