Corydoras polystictus is a tropical freshwater fish belonging to the Corydoradinae sub-family of the Callichthyidae family. It originates in inland waters in South America, and is found in the Paraguay River basin in Brazil. It was originally described by C. Tate Regan in 1912. Astyanax bimaculatus have been found to follow C. polystictus to eat insects, crustaceans, plant debris and algae that is flushed out by the catfish's foraging.