Do tangs hunt small live animals?

[Pimba]

To be more specific do blue tangs, scopas and tomini species hunt live animals such as copepods, small amphipods and small worms like bristleworms?

Or they mostly graze algae?

 

[Ocelaris]

If my Montipora/Acropora count, then yes; my pacific blue and mimic tang are profuse sps grazers. Not so much my tomini. All of them eat the random fish/squid home made food that I make, so I imagine if a few copepods got in there, sure; but no, I have never seen any tangs actively hunt small critters.

 

[J1a]

To be more specific do blue tangs, scopas and tomini species hunt live animals such as copepods, small amphipods and small worms like bristleworms?

Or they mostly graze algae?

While they may or may not hunt purposefully, they do:

1. Snatch newly added pods from water column, especially since they are conditioned to aquarist feeding them
2. Scoop up whatever pods unfortunate enough to be on the grazed algae.
3. Peck on mucus of some corals

 

[Ocelaris]

My pacific blue tang goes for the axial feeding tentacles specifically; I'm not sure he really ever gets them, but I'd say it's more like whack-a-mole. The mimic tang is definitely just skimming the mucus, but Dori is out for blood! If I could catch that varmint, it'd be in another tank! Mimic tang can stay, does his work and just needs a little snack

 

[Pimba]

How about mysis shrimp.

We know they eat frozen mysis but if I had live mysis shrimp, will they still not hunt them ?

 

[Malcontent]

Mine brought home a squirrel the other day.