It could be an intriguing idea to be developed, but you have to take into account that many of the public aquariums, being public structures, earn the most of their subsides from tickets. I think it would be a limit devote solely to catfishes a public aquarium due to people that visit this structure would have the expectation to see other charismatic creatures, like sharks or other more colorful fishes than catfishes. Despite catfishes offer a wide range of peculiarities feasible for education, from my point of view, a structure like that you have proposed risks to have the limit in to be less attractive toward a vast public. Cheers.

I can appreciate your viewpoint. The plan would also have more than just the exhibition of catfish though I didn't point that out primarily. There would be different aspects of the structure. Like Bass Pro Shops there would be fishing demos, cooking demos, a fully functional research facility and library to attract researchers of all types. I agree it is a risky proposition but a very unique structure as the only one in the world. I am currently getting data for the proposal.

James, I don't have an opinion on your question, but I've added that catfish diet publication to my pubs so that you can download it.

Thanks Walter.

I love catfish and appreciate their amazing evolutionary radiation, but I think it would be a tough sell to the public...even with the smell of fried catfish wafting in the background. I'd pay $15 to get in, but I would have trouble inviting more than about 5 others to join me.

I agree that it would be a tough sell. The public sees catfish as a food more than anything else. We would have to develop a marketing concept that would show the diversification of these marvelous fish and make them interesting to the public in general.

I agree that there needs to be more to a public display but you can always add other species for display purposes. From a scientific point of view the venom from catfish is very interesting as it has evolved independently several times, demonstrating strong selection pressure for venom as a defence mechanism. It would be really interesting to examine the venom constituents from independently evolved venom glands.

Perhaps a more feasible idea would be to add a module on catfish to an existing aquarium. Many aquariums have resarch facilities attached to them, or deal at different degrees with research organizations. Adding a catfish module to a big, already running and already sustainable aquarium will entitle several benefits both for you the researcher, the investors and for the aquarium.

That is a great idea to mull over. That would endorse the idea as a whole. As from a beneficial standpoint have more business sense than building a brand new building.

Great idea, esp. for folks interested in catfish. I'd second Juan Molina's suggestion of extension to existing aquariums. Displaying various forms of catfishes from various river basins of the world as well as marine cats could introduce the wonders of speciation and adaptation to different habitats to the public. Otherwise aquariums range from pure display of random fish to habitat-wise display to some that are outright disney.

I would go to your catfish aquarium. And the time may be right, given that Animal Planet seems to have made "River Monsters" their go-to prime time show. A lot of the episodes of that show focus on some cool catfish species that is "monstrous" in some way. Everything from Amazonian Candiru to those crazy Himalayan Goonch catfish (is it just me, or are the goonch episodes ALWAYS on animal planet?). The more I think about it, the more I want to visit your aquarium. People will just have to be careful where they go pee.

Maybe Speedo can sponsor a catfish wing, popularizing the use of speedos as candiru-proof swimwear (since speedos are very popular in Brasil)

Mark:

I have noticed the same thing about River Monsters. I have actually talked to Jeremy Wade via email, but not recently. I am examing the possibilities of attaching the catfish aquarium wing to an already established institution. I might look into talking to Speedo about the sponsorship as well as others. Thanks for all the comments.

please set it up. would like to be a visiting researcher to investigate further on catfishes across the Atlantic. guess you should add fish production and biology in the design

Ikpegbu:

I would love to set it up, but I'm still in the research phase at present.  Once I finish writing up the proposal; I will post it so that it can move forward.  The hardest part is to make a catfish only research institute viable financially so that there will be something solid for the backers to care about. 

I second Ikpegbu Ekele's comment: set it up and I will come do research!

Sounds encouraging.  I will include everyone's responses in my proposal which should be coming soon.

Thank you so much Janet.  I do appreciate it.

Thank you Pardis:

That is what I am attempting to portray.  The Siluriformes is so diverse and interesting that most individuals that I talk to outside of the scientific world do not know or understand this diversity.  Most do not know the enormous number of species that there are.  From a profitability point of view there will be so many guests that keeping the cost of admission down to an affordable level will be easy.