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Majority of fish aquarium tanks of modern times are made of of panes of glass that are held together by silicone, and have plastic frames on the top and bottom edges for decorative purposes. This is common for tank sizes that reach up to 260 gallons. An unfortunate property of glass, however, is its brittleness. It can readily fracture and break. In actuality, however, the silicone sealant, which binds the glass panes, is usually the first to go.

There are various shapes of fish aquarium tanks. There are hexagonal tanks, cuboids, L shaped, and front sides that are convex. Fish bowls, which can be glass or plastic, are usually spherical or otherwise have some form of round configuration.

The modern glass aquarium first appeared in the 1800s as developed by Robert Warrington. In the Victorian age, fish aquarium tanks usually had steel or slate as their bottom, allowing for the heating of the tank from a flame placed underneath it. Glass aquariums in this age had metal for frames, and they were sealed with the use of putty. This was prior to the discovery of silicone. This was replaced with silicone during the middle of the 1960s.

During the 1970s, acrylic aquarium tanks made their public appearance, even though glass tanks were still preferred by users. Glass has the advantage of being scratch resistant and cheap. However, they were more prone to cracking than acrylic, and are almost twice as heavy in weight. Furthermore, glass provides less insulation, and is limited in the shapes it can come in.

It is burdensome to many beginning aquarists to find that a lot of online suppliers of fish aquarium tanks do not ship glass aquariums, simply because of the high risks of cracks and the tanks' heavy weight. This makes shipping costs high. Still, glass aquariums have the advantage of not yellowing overt time, unlike acrylic tanks. It also requires lesser support.

Price is a major consideration that aquarists have when choosing glass over acrylic. For larger tanks, however, the price difference between the two significantly diminishes. Acrylic remains as the primary competition with the glass tank. It is much lighter and stronger. Its panes and seams are fused directly with the use of cements that are acrylic-soluble, unlike glass panes that are held together with silicone sealant. The nature of acrylic makes it possible to form many unconventional shapes, such as hexagons. And although acrylic is more prone to scratching than glass, these scratches can be polished out, which is not possible with glass.

One other option is the use of laminated glass. This type of glass has the advantages afforded by both acrylic and glass. Aquariums that are larger commonly utilize plastic that is reinforced by fiberglass. This type of material possesses more strength. Unfortunately, it is not transparent. If space and weight are not an issue, reinforced concrete is a good option this type of tank is coated with a layer of waterproof material that prevents the water inside the tank from breaking down or dissolving the concrete. It also protects the water from being contaminated by the concrete material.