What has been going on with my toadstool?

[Just John]

I have had a toadstool for a 2-3 years and it has always grown well and been happy along with the other softies, LPS and SPS. Everything has been fine, except for the toadstool. The long polyps stopped coming out a few months ago and it has been slowly shrinking. Algae occasionally starts to grow on top and if I brush it with a toothbrush the polyps might come out for a few hours, but that's it. Nothing has changed in the tank, so I'm not sure what's going on. I tried a few different locations, but that didn't help.

 

[Uncle99]

Do you maintain iodine?
I wonder if it is having trouble shedding?
Many believe essential for softies and shrimps.
Could it have been stung by anyone close?

 

[Science/G]

I agree, check iodine. Or just add a small bit.

 

[Just John]

I had never dosed iodine during the first couple of years that I had it, but started dosing last year. I don't have a kit to measure it - I just follow the directions on the bottle. It's also too far from anything else to be stung.