Clown loaches are great for a community tank. I have kept them with neons for over a year with no problems. They don't actually have spines on their mouths, rather they have barbels that are soft and used to "taste". However, as FishFreek said, don't overcrowd your tank. Clown loaches can grow to over 12 inches (30 cm) and are not suitable for small tanks. They also need to be kept in groups of three or more. Following the one inch per gallon rule, you would need to at least a 36 gallon tank just for 3 clown loaches alone. Also, they don't actually look dead, they just have rest periods where they settle on the bottom, but when they are not resting they are one of the most active fish I have.