There are many new world cichlids that would work with them, and a tank big enough for 3 bala sharks will certainly be big enough for decent sized cichlids.
You probably heard different things because cichlids are an extremely diverse group, and some will work while some won't. Never ask any question about cichlids in general or you could easily wind up with bad information - always question species individually.
Avoid the aggressive ones and go with a mild cichlid
type, like severum or blue acara, that way you eliminate most of the risk.
