Tale of Fish’s Death in Reagan Care Goes Belly-Up--It’s Alive

The White House said today that one of the fish President Reagan was feeding while at the superpower summit died, but a spokeswoman for the fish’s 11-year-old owner said the report of its demise was greatly exaggerated.

“The President fed them every day according to instructions,” she said. “It is absolutely not true that any of them died or starved to death.”

While the President and Mrs. Reagan were staying at a home leased by Prince Aga Khan, Reagan agreed to feed the fish, which belonged to the prince’s son, Hussein.

Elaine Crispen, press secretary to First Lady Nancy Reagan, said in Washington that one of the fish had died and that the President replaced it with two new ones and left a note for Hussein. It was not known what the note said.

A woman who identified herself only as the Princess Aga Khan’s personal secretary told the Associated Press today that several extra exotic fish were found in Hussein’s aquarium when the family moved back into the elegant Maison de Saussure, the President’s summit residence.

“We believe the President’s staff bought them,” she said.

She said she could not say how many fish were added but that the number was between “10 and 15.” She said they were tiny exotic fish of various colors.