Is there a tank priority sequence for using the fuel tanks?
Which fuel tanks are used in order of priority in aircraft?


What you're talking about, in large aircraft, is often referred to as the fuel burn schedule. Light aircraft generally do not have a fuel burn schedule though they may have have minimal requirements.

The fuel burn schedule is dictated by the aircraft design and is thus different for different aircraft designs.


  Is there a sequence of priority?


Yes, and if you don't observe the fuel burn schedule you risk exceeding the structural limitations of the aircraft, and in particular wing bending moments.


  Or the pilot decides?


No, the pilot does not decide usually. While there may be some leeway in the fuel burn schedules of large aircraft, the pilot or a flight engineer (old aircraft) or an automated system does not decide but rather implements a preset protocol.

As an example, here's a general outline of the fuel burn schedule for 747-100/200 aircraft. This is from memory so might not be entirely correct but is sufficiently so for example purposes:


On start, taxi, and takeoff burn tank to engine. In other words, route the fuel from main tank 1 to engine 1, main tank 2 to engine 2, etc.
Once you're established in your cruise climb, all engines burn out of the center tank if there is fuel in the center tank until the center tank fuel is exhausted (but don't burn any fuel in the center tank that is there for ballast).
Burn engines 1 &amp; 2 from main tank 2 and engines 3 &amp; 4 from main tank 3 until the amount of fuel in main tank 2 matches that in main tank 1 and the amount of fuel in main tank 3 matches that in main tank 4. Main tanks 2 &amp; 3 are larger than 1 &amp; 4. When parity is reached, burn tank to engine.
At some point transfer the fuel in reserve tank 1 to main tank 1 and reserve tank 4 to main tank 4. Likewise, if you have them, from reserve tank 2 to main tank 2 and reserve tank 3 to main tank 3. Most 747-100/200 aircraft didn't have reserve tanks 2 &amp; 3. You have to get the fuel out of the reserve tanks before landing. 


Be aware that just as there is a fuel burn schedule, there may also be a fuel loading schedule. In the 747-100/200 that schedule dictated that no fuel goes into the center tank until all other tanks are full. As I remember, the largest center tank available held 114999 lbs of fuel at 6.7 lbs/gal fuel density. Center tank size varied as ordered by the airline and changed through the production run of the aircraft.