I had clown loaches in my tank. I don't like them at all. They get ich so easy and spend a good amount of time it a small tank getting treated for it. The bushynose however worked great for me, although they don't look as nice.
I have two pictus cats in with my africans and they do great, they are a great looking fish too, nice long whiskers. Also, as already mentioned, synodontus are good.
