Loach Questions

Clown loaches get far to large to keep in a 55 gallon long term.

its best to start with the minimum 180 gallons rather than buy a new tank every time they grow an inch, so if you want clown loaches, get a 180 gallon and put 5 in there.

chinese algae eaters only eat algae when small, as they grow they generally become quite aggressive and may attack other fish in the aquarium, stressing and eventually killing them. you may want to return those. for algae control - underfeeding, water changes, and 8 hrs of light are best, but a small group of otos may help you out when algae starts to grow. they stay small, love algae, and will not interfere with other fish. do not get a pleco for algae control, or at least, don't expect a pleco to eat algae and nothing else. snails might be good, mostly they're just lazy and prefer eating leftover food to actually scraping algae.

definitely no clown loaches.