How to make best use of a fighter in my new Anaconda?

So I got a new Anaconda, my first large ship, and I outfitted it for exploration. For now I'm actually using it to grind the Sirius permit, doing mainly courier and scanning megaship type missions. I stuck a fighter bay in it and it's halla fun, I just killed a few random ships while helping a megaship. The Anaconda itself doesn't handle as well as my old Krait Phantom or Mamaba, but the fighter makes up for it.

My question is, how do I make best use of a fighter bay, what else should I put on my Anaconda? I have some point defenses I stuck on it, they were leftover from my guardian grinding trip. Are they useful to protect the ship while I'm flying around in the fighter?

I have a 70 ly range on it right now and I don't want to cut it down too much, but should I put some hull reinforcements or something on it if I want to do some mining and fighting off pirates, or is it good enough?

I don't particularly want to get a crew mate because they take part of my earnings but I suppose I could, in that case should I put some guns on my Anaconda? What if I just want the Anaconda to stay safe out of the way while I use the fighter, can I do that somehow?

I got a Taipan mostly because it looks cool, what do you recommend?

Any fighter tips are welcome.