If I got a Firemouth Cichlid and a Convict Cichlid and put them in the same tank could i put sand @ the bottom?

Make the tank half and half.... put sand on the bottom of half the tank and casually put some rocks in with the sand and make it blend into all rocks on the other side of the tank. I don't know a lot about fire mouth but when I had my convicts they favored a large piece of driftwood I had in the tank, so maybe put a peice on the rocky side for the convicts.