ID This thing with stings

It's was a fight, and it was fun, but I didn't want to touch it. I was in Key West Florida, and this sucker had to have been 40 foot down, because we were fishing for Grouper.

 

Possibly some sort of hind?

 

How big is that?

 

Judging by the rod holder/gimble lock, 6" or so.

 

The size of that screw is throwing me off. Makes the fish look small. It could very well be a brasilensis.

 

From what I can remember he was about 6"-8" mouth to tail.

 

http://blogington.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/Stonefish.jpg


"The stonefish may never win a beauty contest, but it is officially the world’s most venomous fish. The stonefish usually roams the tropical waters of the Pacific and Indian Oceans. The Stonefish keeps it venom in its spiky dorsal fins that stick up whenever the creature feels threatened. Many divers end up getting those fins stuck on their feet because they couldn’t recognize the fish and stepped on them. The venom injected by the Stonefish is so painful that some victims have requested that the afflicted area be amputated immediately. It has been called the worst pain in the world. The venom causes shock, paralysis, tissue death and it can be fatal if not treated right away. The best way to treat the sting is by pouring water that is over 113°F on the affected area"


I appear to have narrowly escaped death and or amputation.

 

Yeah, but it does not appear the did.

Did you throw it back.

 

Yep! We didn't know at the time, and I had no idea what to search for online. Maybe Greg or Renee can confirm or deny my ID. I kind of have an adrenaline rush right now. haha.

 

No, it's not a stonefish. Probably a brasilensis.