Bolivian rams and German blue rams are both peaceful cichlids with a lot of personality. I'd do either a pair of Bolivians or a trio (1M/2F) of GBRs. They love planted tanks, so get fake plants, get low light plants, or upgrade your lighting and ask in the planted tank forum. Good low light plants for beginners are anubias, java ferns, or cryptocorynes. You may be able to find lace java fern and it is really pretty.

Anubias and javas will attach to rocks or driftwood if you use a rubber band or some thread to tie them down. When they attach, just remove it. For that tank, add a nice school of small tetras, like glowlights, cardinals, neons, pristellas, green fires, etc. Or, harlequin rasboras are always a great choice. You could buy 8-10 of any species I just mentioned. You can also keep a school of small corys, like panda, hastatus, pygmaeus, or trilineatus. Buy 4-6 small corys and you'd be stocked, and you'd have a lot of activity.
Or, if you want only cichlids, try some Tangyanikan shell dwellers, like neolamprologus multifasciatus. You also may be able to get away with a few neolamprologus brichardi or pulcher. I hear their breeding/parenting behaviors are fascinating.
Either of those options would be beautiful and active. I have to warn you though, GBRs can be quite difficult to keep. If you decide on those, buy them from a breeder, as most LFS stock is mass-produced, overbred, and will drop like flies even if your water quality is great. JMO.
