find_by() returns nil when database has the record

For some reason .find_by() is returning nil when a record exists that should be returned. I can confirm that the record exists in the DB using .all() I can also confirm the SQL is returning a row when i run it manually in a MySQL prompt.

Ive checked for a default scope on the Institutions model and there is none.

Heres the output from my debugger and a test database:

0> Institution.all

  Institution Load (1.5ms)  SELECT `institutions`.* FROM `institutions`

=> #<ActiveRecord::Relation [#<Institution id: 1, institution_name: "Example Inc.", customer_id: nil, address1: "xxxxxxxx", address2: "", city: "Detroit", zip: "xxxxx", region: "Michigan", country: "United States", zoho_customer_id: nil, lms_id: nil, last_billed_at: nil, lti_key: "3--4a9c711efad7d997d3b2145a2efa14a30d9e91df5bc02f5...", lti_secret: "d439358b8e38e95cb70e", custom_registration: nil, staging: false, lti_return_url: nil, domain: nil, first_name: "xxxxx", last_name: "xxxxxx", email: "xxxxxxx@example.com", phone: nil, uuid: "1ce1f720-5cc7-4abd-9ff5-6a968c1cbd73", standalone: true, logo_url: nil, hex_color_one: "000000", hex_color_two: "FFFFFF", lms_name: "none", slug: nil, created_at: "2016-04-13 15:55:01", updated_at: "2016-04-13 15:55:01", large_logo_url: nil, student_access_after_course: true, no_discussion: false, no_messaging: false, support_email: nil, no_print_and_download: true>]>



0> Institution.where(lti_key: request_key)

  Institution Load (1.0ms)  SELECT `institutions`.* FROM `institutions`  WHERE `institutions`.`lti_key` = '3--5ac4090c6facdc5b795f64da9b70a5351cb60e86a301a820d94a83f8d055878d'

=> #<ActiveRecord::Relation []>



0> Institution.all

  CACHE (0.0ms)  SELECT `institutions`.* FROM `institutions`

=> #<ActiveRecord::Relation [#<Institution id: 1, institution_name: "Example Inc.", customer_id: nil, address1: "xxxxxxx", address2: "", city: "Detroit", zip: "xxxxx", region: "Michigan", country: "United States", zoho_customer_id: nil, lms_id: nil, last_billed_at: nil, lti_key: "3--4a9c711efad7d997d3b2145a2efa14a30d9e91df5bc02f5...", lti_secret: "d439358b8e38e95cb70e", custom_registration: nil, staging: false, lti_return_url: nil, domain: nil, first_name: "xxxxxx", last_name: "xxxxxx", email: "xxxxxx@example.com", phone: nil, uuid: "1ce1f720-5cc7-4abd-9ff5-6a968c1cbd73", standalone: true, logo_url: nil, hex_color_one: "000000", hex_color_two: "FFFFFF", lms_name: "none", slug: nil, created_at: "2016-04-13 15:55:01", updated_at: "2016-04-13 15:55:01", large_logo_url: nil, student_access_after_course: true, no_discussion: false, no_messaging: false, support_email: nil, no_print_and_download: true>]>



0> Institution.all.first

  Institution Load (1.0ms)  SELECT  `institutions`.* FROM `institutions`   ORDER BY `institutions`.`id` ASC LIMIT 1

=> #<Institution id: 1, institution_name: "Example Inc.", customer_id: nil, address1: "xxxxxxx", address2: "", city: "Detroit", zip: "xxxxx", region: "Michigan", country: "United States", zoho_customer_id: nil, lms_id: nil, last_billed_at: nil, lti_key: "3--4a9c711efad7d997d3b2145a2efa14a30d9e91df5bc02f5...", lti_secret: "d439358b8e38e95cb70e", custom_registration: nil, staging: false, lti_return_url: nil, domain: nil, first_name: "xxxxxx", last_name: "xxxxxxx", email: "xxxxxxxx@example.com", phone: nil, uuid: "1ce1f720-5cc7-4abd-9ff5-6a968c1cbd73", standalone: true, logo_url: nil, hex_color_one: "000000", hex_color_two: "FFFFFF", lms_name: "none", slug: nil, created_at: "2016-04-13 15:55:01", updated_at: "2016-04-13 15:55:01", large_logo_url: nil, student_access_after_course: true, no_discussion: false, no_messaging: false, support_email: nil, no_print_and_download: true>



0> request_key

=> "3--5ac4090c6facdc5b795f64da9b70a5351cb60e86a301a820d94a83f8d055878d"



0> Institution.find_by( lti_key: request_key )

  CACHE (0.1ms)  SELECT  `institutions`.* FROM `institutions`  WHERE `institutions`.`lti_key` = '3--5ac4090c6facdc5b795f64da9b70a5351cb60e86a301a820d94a83f8d055878d' LIMIT 1

=> nil

Once again, if I run this query manually I get the appropriate row.....

SELECT  `institutions`.* FROM `institutions`  WHERE `institutions`.`lti_key` = '3--5ac4090c6facdc5b795f64da9b70a5351cb60e86a301a820d94a83f8d055878d' LIMIT 1

SOLVED: Turns out I had the wrong Database open in MySQL... and I was using the wrong key (someone posted an answer saying the row wasn't in my database. but then they deleted it, if you want to post it again ill accept)