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First you need to know exactly how much room you have for a tank. Remember that the tank will need to be positioned near an electrical outlet.

If this is your first aquarium, start with a smaller tank. This will give you a good sense of how things work without spending a lot of money only to find out that you don't have the patience for it. Starting with a 10- to 20- gallon tank is reasonable. The small tanks you see used in pet stores as terrariums are 10 gallons. A 10-gallon tank will cost less than $10; a 20-gallon tank costs about $35.

Consider the various aquarium shapes. Tall octagons and hexagons are popular. Cube and cylinder tanks are also available. The standard is a long rectangle, which tends to look bigger than it really is and is therefore a favorite among hobbyists.

Choose from plate glass or acrylic materials such as Plexiglas. Plate glass is heavy. Plexiglas scratches easily. Sections of plate glass are fairly easy to replace; Plexiglas tanks are often one piece, with rounded corners that look very fluid.