In July 2015 specimens of the coral Pocillopora acuta have been sampled at the reef flat Luminao, Guam, at 1-2 m water depth. Larvae released from the mother colonies were collected and then allowed to settle and grow under two different temperatures (elevated 31°C and ambient 29°C). Surviving recruits from 31°C and 26°C were maintained either under the same elevated temperature of 31°C or under ambient winter temperatures of 26°C for six years, respectively, before assessment of their performance under the respective maintenance temperature. This allowed us to assess long-term trade-offs in coral performance specifically, as a response to living under temperature conditions exceeding their natural long-term maximum summer monthly mean temperature.