Question: Axolotl advice for a potential new axolotl owner?

I'm thinking about getting an axolotl, maybe two. I've done a lot of research but I still have a few questions.

1. Can I get two at the same time without them eating each other if they're similar in size?

2. Can I feed them worms bought as fishing bait?

3. For substrate, since gravel is a no-no, could I put a bunch of medium/big rocks in as a substrate? Ones that are too big to fit in their mouth obviously. If not what else is a good idea? I know sand is OK but it's a pain to clean so I'm looking for alternatives.

4. If I get two, and one turns out to be the opposite sex of the other, how would I tell if eggs are fertilized? And since I don't want to raise a bunch of baby axolotls, what should I do with eggs?

5. I read that it's not a good idea to feed them live fish as their primary food source but could I give them fish every so often as a treat? Or should I stick to cooked beef or chicken for treats?

6. Can axolotl food pellets be used as a primary food source or are they more of a backup for if you can't get worms?

It ended up being more than a few questions lol, any other advice is appreciated too. Thanks.

1. Yes you can get two of similar size. Just keep them well fed and give them each a place to hide and space. Generally it is advised to only house axolotls within one inch difference in length of each other.

2. Yes, they are generally fine

3. large rocks are OK as long as they are bigger than the axolotls head. But debris tends to fall in the gaps and can make it hard to clean.

4. If they turn out to be opposite sex it is probably best to separate them as constantly producing eggs can be quite tiring and draining for the female to go through. You can get tank dividers.

5. Fish are not the best option nutritionally so do not make a good staple diet. The other issue is that they can introduce diseases and parasites. Some of which may not harm the fish but may harm the axolotl. So if choosing to feed them it is important to quarantine them first. Also selecting suitable fish is important. You would need to choose small fish that won't pick on the axolotls gills or harm the axolotl. Also, even though the fish are there to be eaten, it is still good to look out for their welfare as well up until that point so choosing fish suited to cold freshwater is another thing to consider. Especially in the case they don't get eaten. My preference is just not to bother feeding fish to axolotls. There are much better nutritious options out there. But I would also not bother with beef or chicken. This is not a natural food source for axolotls.

6.good quality newt or axolotl pellets would be OK as a staple diet but earthworms would always be my number one preference.