Food production for aquaculture requires finding other protein sources or ingredients as potential alternatives in the formulation of aquaculture feeds, due to the shortage and high price of protein sources that are most commonly used. The aim of this analysis was to evaluate the relationship between the essential amino acids in 13 types of proteins available in the market with the essential amino acids found in the muscle of four of the most important farmed prawn species of the genus Macrobrachium (M. amazonicum, M. rosenbergii, M. americanum and M. tenellum). The results obtained showed the limiting amino acids of each ingredient for each species, thereby allowing for formulation of commercial foods that meet the nutritional needs to support optimal growth of these prawns in culture. In conclusion, there is a difference in the amino acids most often present as first limiting between sources of animal and plant origin. Thereby, it is possible evaluate complementarities between these sources to achieve an amino acids profile close to that of Macrobrachium species.