As busy as a Clown Loach is in cleaning the gravel and wriggling itself into seemingly unnavigable nooks and crannies, I would imagine it would be a difficult fish to do, but it would be cool nonetheless.
It was one of the few that survived my repeated attempts at maintaining a 20-gallon tank! When I finally gave up, I gave my fish to my brother who was much more skilled, had more time, and had a larger tank. That Clown Loach is still doing its thing after 9 or 10 years.
When I had the tank running, my downfall was trying to have Dwarf Gouramis in the tank. They were a little small, but their coloring was incredible, and much more interesting to look at than their larger counterparts.
If a Clown Loach is too hard, I would put a big request in for Dwarf Gouramis. I would pay extra if a future "fish pack" had them in it!
I'd imagine that a Kuhli Loach is another tough one to create, but a cool addition to the tank. Their behavior and movement is so unlike other fish that it would provide variety.
As far as having Neons/Cardinals, how could any self-respecting Freshwater Aqaurium be without them?
