A few axolotl questions

[Yoimbrian]

So right now I have a big tank with fancy goldfish, and a 20B with dojo loaches and apple snails (with duckweed at the top to feed to the Goldie's). My wife recently fell in love with axolotls, so I want to get a pair. So I'd put the dojos with the Goldie's (which was always the plan). But here are my questions:

-can I leave the apple snails with the axolotls? I like them in that tank since they love eating the duckweed (duckweed only lasts a few minutes in the big tank).
-I've read conflicting things about axolotls together. Supposedly at small sizes they eat each others limbs, but large are fine. What are your experiences? What is the size cut off? Would I just put a divider in the tank to start?
-they like really cold water. It'll be in the basement of my Minnesota house, probably 60 in winter and 70 in summer - that good enough or do I need a chiller?
-right now there is black pea gravel. I've also read they eat and die on this, so you want bare or sand. Thoughts?
-How many in a 20B? It's just sitting on my desk so I could do a 40B pretty easy too, but no bigger than that.
-last question. Due to the duckweed I just have a massive sponge filter in there, that's it. It's worked great for the dojos (which are small) and snails, no ammonia or nitrites ever. Would that be enough for axolotls? It's a huge sponge, like 8" tall 5" wide corner shape with a lot of air.

Thanks!!!


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[Shenanigans]

axols are incredibly easy for pets. Your sponge filter will be fine, and a 40 breeder will be sufficient to house 3 or 4 adults. Ive seen more in a tank and with adequate filtration you can probably have more. They do not appreciate currents, so sponge filters are the preferred way to go. Axols have terrible eyesight and typically suck up food and other things they think are food, so gravel is a serious health danger. I like to use course sand, but that is personal preferrence and completely up to you. I think you will be fine with temperatures, but anything over 72 F long-term will cause stress and weaken their immune system. As sensitive amphibians, smaller water changes should be performed, 10-20% at a time. As they get older, they become more tolerant of larger fluctuations. The water must be clean(tap water is typically terrible). RO, spring water, and natural rain water are best, but just make sure heavy metals and other pollutants are filtered out before adding to the tank. When small, they can eat each other. With poor eyesight, they are fairly indescriminate when it comes to feeding. I have never had a problem, but it happens. Lost limbs will re-grow. after 3-5", I would not worry about them eating each other. They reach sexual maturity around 6-7", usually around age 6-12 months. Im not sure about snails, but fish are a strict no no.