My vote goes to the Convict. A cichlid for anyone on any budget. A scrappy, spunky, chunky fish that can hold it's own with cichlids 3x it's size. A prolific cichlid that will do anything to keep it's own kind going. You gotta respect those qualities.
Frontosa are very impressive looking when full grown. If you can wait that long. And have a 6 foot tank. And don't mind them occasionally getting freaked out and bashing themselves into a rock, etc. Handsome but a little on the clumsy side. And way too expensive.